The Rarest Thing
by musicsetsmefree1
Summary: From the beginning, it was her. To the end, it will always be her. No matter what happens in-between. A Sam/Emily love story.
1. Chapter 1

"The Rarest Thing"

"The Rarest Thing"

Chapter 1

Sam Uley sighed, his long body hunched behind the counter of the Indian wares shop on the border of the reservation. Why he had even taken this job was beyond him. He distantly remembered a need for college tuition, but even that need didn't seem enough to keep him there, behind the counter, staring at the blinking light on the cash register that greeted the costumers with "Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!"

His shift was almost over, and the replacement was conveniently always a few minutes early. She was a girl a few years younger then him, saving up for college already, with long black hair always hiding her face and thick glasses always sliding down her nose.

He heard the bell overtop the door sound and he grimaced. He was hoping his shift would end without incident. However, instead of a costumer seeking "authentic Indian wares," a beautiful Indian girl came around the rack.

Sam exhaled in complete peace. Leah Clearwater was his girlfriend, and had been since they began dating the summer before their junior year of high school. And now, two weeks after their high school graduation, they were still going strong. He took her in as she approached the counter, her short black hair in her perfect face, her thin frame, her beautiful copper of her skin. He'd never tire of looking at her.

"Ready to go?" she asked, her hands flat on the counter.

"Just a minute. Annie isn't here yet."

Lea gave him a fake pout and he laughed.

"Alright, fine. I'm going to go over to the bathroom real quick then."

"Sounds good," he said, and she smiled at him and turned to use the employee-only restroom down the hall.

Annie suddenly bustled in, a huge book held tightly across her chest.

"Sorry… am I late?" she asked breathlessly.

"Nope. Right on time," Sam grinned. He noticed the book. "What are you reading? _War and Peace_?"

"Actually, yes." Annie blushed, showing him the cover. Sam chuckled. She nervously looked away from him and tied the apron around her. He'd always figured she had a crush on him or something. He didn't want to encourage anything though. He was very much taken.

"Well, have fun with… whoever wrote that thing."

"Leo Tolstoy."

"Right. See you tomorrow."

He stuffed his apron under the counter and went to wait for Leah down the hall.

The bonfire that night hadn't held them long. Sam had eaten a record number of hot dogs before Leah pulled him back to her car for a taste of what was to come back at her house. Her parents had taken a weekend down to Portland for her father's heart condition, leaving a very empty home for two teenagers very much in heat. Sam loved these stolen nights. He failed to realize that for each weekend alone, Leah's father was getting worse and worse. Perhaps that thought would have put a damper on the mood.

The next morning, as Sam woke up and reached for his girlfriend, he didn't remember much of the bonfire or the car or of her aching father. All he could register was the most intensely smelling bacon his nose had ever taken in. It floored him. It seemed his entire body lifted and slammed into the headrest. He swore, waiting for the smell to subside. When it didn't, Sam reluctantly rolled to the side of the bed, groaning and rubbing his face.

This intensity of his senses had been occurring all that week, on and off in random spurts that he couldn't possibly control. Even last night, he remembered looking at the bonfire and feeling as if he was seeing flames for the first time. "Is it supposed to be _that orange_?" he'd asked.

His friends had asked if he'd had anything to drink or smoke.

But it had danced in the most peculiar way, like it had a rhythm all its own. The colors had come alive before him, and he hadn't been able to tear his eyes away for almost half an hour. It was easily one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.

The smell, however, was just about the opposite of beauty.

Sam opened his eyes and the light nearly blinded him. He wished his senses would just go back to normal. Was it some sort of allergy or something? Did allergies just pop up when you are eighteen?

He pulled on his clothes and stumbled to the kitchen.

"Hey," he greeted, kissing her on the cheek, before slumping into one of the old wooden chairs surrounding her table. He felt nauseous.

"You alright?" she asked, lifting the pan of eggs from the stove. She was wearing one of his old flannel shirts he had left on her floor one night and cut-off shorts. He wished he could enjoy being with her on this rare morning, or at least enjoy the view of his shirt barely buttoned and the shorts, but instead he felt too sick by the smells around her kitchen.

"Just this bug I've had lately… I'll be fine soon."

"Sam…" she said, as if it was worse than it sounded. Which it was. "What do you want? Cold stuff or aspirin?"

"Asprin's fine."

Leah turned from the cabinet and plopped two small blue pills in his hand. She kissed him on the forehead. "Hungry?"

His stomach screamed no, but he didn't want to be rude. She'd obviously cooked for him.

"Yeah."

"Great, because I made a lot," she said with a grin. He saw her smile, and couldn't stop from grinning himself.

"So my cousin's coming over today."

"Which cousin?" he asked.

"Emily Young. You remember her, right?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I like her."

Leah turned. "Yeah, she's great."

"When's she coming?"

"A few hours. We were going to go out to lunch, so you better be out of here by noon!"

"We'll see about that," he said with a grin.

"And here's your plate!" she said, turning toward him with a little flourish. Sam felt the bile rise in his throat.

"Awesome," he choked out.

"Eat up!" She turned back to the counter to make up a plate of her own. Sam wondered how long he'd be able to keep the putridly strong-smelling food down, and if that time would cover his running to the bathroom far upstairs where Leah could not hear him puke her breakfast and his guts out.

…

Emily Young liked to sit near the river. She was known for being a bit of worrier, known for always being in her head instead of being present among a group of people, and the river seemed to get rid of her worrying and let her thoughts escape down the running stream. She was supposed to meet her cousin Leah at her house in a few hours: she would be staying with her for the summer, before she went off to college. But until then, the river was nice. It was one of her favorite parts of the Quillette reservation. Besides, she didn't want to show up early. Leah and Emily were like sisters, and last summer she'd learned that Leah and her boyfriend Sam had… gone all the way. Her aunt and uncle would be back later that day, but who knew? No, she'd rather wait.

She remembered the first time she met Sam. It must have been a year ago, last summer. She'd liked him immediately, perhaps liked him a bit too much, and she tried to suppress those feelings. He was Leah's, and nothing would ever happen. It was such a relief to leave within the week, to go back home to the Makah reservation. But now she was back, and Sam was again in her thoughts.

Yes, the river was a good placed to make a new start.

Emily checked her watch so the time of her departure wouldn't catch her off guard. An hour or two went by quickly near the river.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sam watched Leah drive off to work before he ran to her bathroom and threw up. He was amazed he was able to keep breakfast down so long. His head was killing him. His muscles were trembling. He had to get out of her house. Last week, he'd felt like this, and then the next minute he had found himself naked in the middle of the woods, his clothes in bits as if he had suddenly exploded inside them. He felt like a bomb in a cartoon, expanding and stretching until he popped.

He ran out into her backyard, but he knew he had to keep going. Running, he easily scaled the fence and got to the woods before his first scream.

Sam fell to the ground. His body curled into itself. Had he ever felt this much pain in his life? He was shaking so hard that his screams were choked away. The memories of the first time came back. He writhed on the leaves, his ribs popping into a different form, his bones lengthening, his skull reshaping. His fingernails became claws, his palms paws, his nose a snout. His entire body was on fire, was being slashed open with a dull knife. One last scream, and then the beast inside him took over.

…

When he came back to his senses, he was clutching what was once a beaver in his arms. It was half-eaten, and Sam's own face, chest, and arms were covered in blood. Disgusted, he threw the carcass as far away from him and crawled away. He felt as if he were going insane. Because this time, he remembered everything.

He lay flat on the forest ground and tried to regulate his breathing. With the pounding headache and overdrawn breath, his trying to make sense of what was going on was not very successful. He knew the legend of his tribe: how the Quillettes had bonded their souls to wolves…. But they were called legends for a reason, right? They were stupid stories parents only kept around to scare their kids into being good. They were not real, and he was certainly not living them out.

Sam sat up carefully, then tried to stand. He stumbled, his muscles were so sore and weak, but managed to catch himself.

Or _were_ they just legends?

Leah told him over breakfast he had howled in his sleep. "An actual _howl_," she'd said, touching his hand, a sly smile on her face.

He was eating meat at a much more rapid pace then he had at any other time in his life. He could smell and hear things he hadn't been able to before. He remembered the eggs this morning, the fire the previous night… And what terrified him the most was that… he liked it.

Sam loved running through the woods, or at least the wolf inside him did. The wind colliding with his massive force… it was like flying. And then hunting, knowing you were the greater one, the hunter, the superior, without a question the thing to be feared.

He closed his eyes and imagined it, lying on the forest ground. He heard the rush of the river far off, and opened his eyes. He saw the blood crusting on his chest. He had to wash himself before he snuck back home. He stood carefully.

The exhilaration inside him washed away as he felt the tension in his muscles again as he walked. He was so very tired.

…

Emily held up her skirt so she wouldn't get it wet as she waded. The smooth river stones felt cool against her feet, and the water rushed between her legs with a greater force then anyone could anticipate. Gathering her skirt in one hand, she reached down and picked up a perfectly circular stone from the river. Then she heard a shout behind her.

She turned in time to see a naked form fall into the river, blood splashed on his chest and arms.

"Sam?" she called out.

He didn't resurface.

Emily ran through the water, the force of the river pushing at her legs until she fell, her clothes soaked. Sam, face up in the water, was floating quickly downstream, where the water churned around the rocks.

Emily swam as hard as she could, her heart pounding in her chest. Sam wouldn't make it through the rapids farther downriver. She had to get him before the river pushed them both too far.

Finally her hand reached his and she clung to it, kicking toward the side of the river, where the water was shallower and the bank was flat enough to pull him out. She could hear the rapids ahead, and the bank was slowly passing. She grabbed at a tree branch but it slipped from her hands. Another branch… she grabbed it, and it held fast.

Using all the strength in her tiny body, she swung Sam from the quick water to the shallow water near the shore. She scrambled to pull him so his head and chest anchored his body on the solid ground.

She put her head on his chest, surprisingly more muscular than she remembered and far warmer than any person should rightfully be, and heard his heart beating. Her hand in front of his mouth, however, signaled that he was not breathing.

She couldn't have been more thankful for her mother forcing her into those Red Cross CPR classes as she was now, breathing in into Sam, trying to revive him. Finally he coughed up river water and took in a breath.

Emily leaned back, exhausted, as Sam continued breathing, trying to assess where he was. Her arms pumped up and down his to keep him warm, though the immense heat blowing off his skin suggested this was not a problem.

"Emily Young?" he asked. She nodded. He recognized her. That was a good.

"Yes. Sam, are you okay?" He tried to move against her.

Her cheeks became heated with her intense blush… Sam was entirely naked, she was more or less on top of him, and their lips had just been pressed together…

…

"Sam, are you okay?" he heard, and looked in her direction.

Emily Young? She leaned back toward him, nodding. She said something, but he couldn't hear or smell anything. Everything around them seemed to disappear. All he could do was look at her, memorize every line of her face. The way she shone to him, like she was the sun. His sun. Had she always been that beautiful? He guessed he was always too preoccupied with Leah most of the time to notice.

"Sorry, what?"

"You were covered in blood… are you okay?"

He looked down at his chest, where spots of dried blood still remained.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He couldn't take her eyes off her, the way she moved, the way her eyes looked him up and down… wait, what… Shit!

"I… er… have a blanket in my car…" she said awkwardly as Sam scrambled into the water to hide himself. He felt ridiculous, crouched in the water, his hands pressed between his legs.

"Yeah. Yeah. Sounds good."

She looked at him again, questioning, trying to understand how she found her cousin's boyfriend naked and covered in blood drowning in a river. But she looked away and walked back up the bank, where she had been sitting, where the blanket lay in the back of her car.

Sam's pride and his desire to follow her battled inside him as he watched her walk away. His pride, however, won a narrow victory as he watched her disappear between the trees. He wanted to bolt: it felt as if he was going to morph again, his heart seemed to be ripping apart without her there.

The word "morph" sounded strange. He hadn't ever thought he was changing into anything: it was just a bad headache or sickness that would wear away. But now he remembered changing, the newfound strength he had… the claws, the wolfish reflection as he looked in the river that afternoon, the feeling of his animal legs propelling him without any sort of exhaustion behind the beaver, his prey.

Emily appeared with a textured blanket, one of those her mother made for reservation Indian wares shops, and tossed it to him. He stood carefully, wrapping himself so that she couldn't see anything… again… then followed her back to the car.

…

The ride back to his house was awkward and silent. Emily didn't dare extend her hand nearer to him, so she did not turn on the radio or adjust the air conditioning, though heat radiated from Sam's body next to her. She couldn't rid herself of the way he'd looked at her, as if she were the only thing in the world. Yes, that was how he looked at her! She couldn't persuade herself of anything else.

Finally she pulled up into his driveway.

"Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" Emily asked, still not looking at him.

"You saved my life back there," Sam all but whispered. "Emily." Her name sounded like a prayer from his lips. She shivered.

"No problem."

Complete silence. Emily desperately wished he would get out of her car.

"Look, Emily… there are some weird things going on. I'm not really too sure about them myself. Could you not tell anyone about this?"

"Sure."

"I mean, someday I'll explain everything, but I'm still…"

She gave him a strange look, and he ceased speaking. Leave. Right.

"Right. Thanks. Well, see you around…. Oh, and I'll get you your blanket back… I'll wash it first and all."

"That's fine. Thanks." Emily fiddled with her keys in the ignition.

"Emily…"

She finally looked at him, and the look in his eyes almost killed her. She knew that, she would have paid Sam Uley a million dollars to look at her like that last summer. But that was before she saw how he and Leah were together, how in love they were, how their beauty complemented the other's so well. She thought she had suppressed those feelings for good when Leah told her about… Ugh, she didn't want to think of them entwined like that.

But now, she looked down, and his hand was beginning to stretch toward her. She met his eyes again, and saw the strained look and his open lips. He was trying to say something. Emily was scared of whatever that something was.

"Good bye," he finally said. Emily nodded.

"Good bye, Sam."

He shut his car door and disappeared inside his house. Emily groaned as she knocked her head on her steering wheel a few times before pulling out. She needed to get to Leah's house so she could change clothes. Without Sam there, she was suddenly freezing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Sam! I didn't know you were coming over," Leah said, smiling at him from the doorway. Without words, Sam took her in his arms and kissed her as hard as he possibly could.

Emily was killing him. At work he thought about her, at night he dreamed about her, and as a wolf he hid in the forest near Leah's house, guarding her. Even when he was with Leah, trusting himself to be able to stay human for a simple dinner, he wondered about her, wondered if she was safe. And when he and Leah were apart, no matter how hard he tried to think of her, the girl he had loved so passionately just two week ago, his thoughts always found their way to Emily.

He had to stop this. He had all but promised Leah they were going to get married! And he _had_ wanted to get married to her, to have children with her, to live his life by her side. But now he saw himself with Emily, and his future seemed so much better.

The kiss was empty for him. Not able to torture himself or Leah any further, he finally pulled away.

"Wow," Leah breathed. Sam tried to match her expression, but she sensed something was wrong.

"Are you okay, Sam?" she asked, touching his face.

Maybe he needed more than a kiss. That was it. Honestly, kisses were no big deal. Friends, well girls anyway, kissed each other on the cheek some times. Parents kissed their children all the time.

"Yeah, fine," he said quickly. "Are your parents home?"

"No…"

"What about Emily?" he asked. A sudden pain ripped through his chest. _Don't say her name! It only makes it worse!_

"No, she's…"

He kissed her again, pulling her into the house and shoving the door closed with his foot. It was all wrong… he would have given anything to have Emily in his arms, holding him to her, running her hands through his hair. The things he'd dreamt of doing to her…

His hands seemingly grabbed at Leah hungrily, though he was really only hungry for a sense of what he used to feel.

"Don't stop," Leah managed to whisper against his lips, between tiny gasps for breath. Against his better judgment, he obeyed.

Somehow they made it up the stairs, Leah holding on, her legs wrapped around his waist. Sam all but kicked her bedroom door open and fell onto her bed.

Sam ripped off their clothing quickly. He felt sick… he could barely continue, and wanted it to be over, but Leah wouldn't let him stop. She wanted him too, as much as ever, misunderstanding the hunger behind him movements for passion she'd never seen before.

He knew the only way he could get through this was to picture her, and he did. Emily, holding on to him, whispering his name in his ear as they joined together. Gasping in his ear in pleasure. It took everything he had not to say her name when he lost control.

Then it was over, and he rolled onto his back, fighting off reality. Leah rolled nearer to him, with a seductive smile on her face.

"Wow, Sam," she said, the words coming in-between breaths. Sam wanted to get out as quickly as possible, to run out the door and never look back at her. But that would have raised suspicion, so he stayed. Leah rolled closer to him, pressed against him, her hand on his chest. "That was…"

"Yeah…Yeah it _was_," he said, cutting her off. She snuggled next to him, lazily tracing patterns on his bare chest as they lay side by side in her bed. The sun from her window poured in across them. Sam lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, trying to tell her telepathically to stop her patterns, to just stop touching him. The door was open, and he could see the room where Emily was staying. Emily. Leah was too close, and her fingertips were annoying him tremendously. Finally, he grabbed her hand. For a second, he thought he saw his nails flash into claws.

"Stop!" The word came out in a harsh tone… much too harsh a tone to be used after such an event. She stiffened in pain, and he let go of her hand. "Sam! You're hurting me!"

His face stiffened in terror. He could have hurt her just then. He could have snapped her wrist in half, torn her flesh with his claws. "I'm…. Jesus, I'm sorry."

She wrapped her arms around him, and he laid an arm gently across her bare back. He could pretend for just a little while longer. Leah was worth that, wasn't she?

"You know I'm always here for you, right? You can tell me anything."

"Yeah, I know," he said. But it was a lie.

"Because I've noticed you're acting different, Sam. And I know something is wrong. You can talk to me."

"Alright."

"So what is it?"

Sam tried to keep in his sigh.

"What is what?"

Leah sat up, holding the sheet to her chest.

"Why won't you tell me?"

"I can't talk about it right now. I honestly don't know myself…"

Leah ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"Well, are you sick? Is something wrong with your family?" she tried.

"Yeah… yeah I'm sick."

"How?"

"I don't know…"

She put on her concerned face. "Are you going to see a doctor?"

Sam thought for a second, then nodded. That was what he needed! And he knew just who he had to see.

"Good."

"Actually, I'm late for my appointment already…. I've got to go."

"Go?" she asked, watching him pull on his boxers. "But…"

"Sorry, no time." He grabbed his shirt off her bed post. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah…" she said, leaning toward him for a kiss. He ignored her and raced out of the house.

Leah sat there on her bed, feeling the extreme warmth of the sheets where Sam had just been. It was hot, too hot to be normal. She looked back at the door to her room, and heard his car back up on her gravel driveway. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

…

"Hey, is Billy home?"

It was two weeks after the whole river incident. By now his disappearances were becoming more frequent, and Jacob obviously had heard the rumors circulating about "Bad Sam Uley." He looked at Sam as if he were dangerous, some gang member, then nodded.

"Yeah, he's home." Jacob didn't move.

"Well, can I speak to him?"

Jacob looked uncomfortable as he let Sam in, then went to get Billy from the kitchen. The old man rolled out, smiling at Sam.

"I thought you'd come here," Billy said. It was just a prejudice, he knew, but every time Sam saw Billy he thought of those ancient Indian chiefs, wrapped in blankets and decorated with feathers, knowing all. Something about Billy's smile told you directly. _I know. I know what you did. I know what you will do. I know how to help._ Sam nodded.

"Look, can we go somewhere more private?" Sam could smell Jacob (Wait, did Jacob have a _scent_?) in the kitchen, listening to them. Billy nodded with a secretive smile and led Sam out the door.

It took a while for Sam to tell Billy what was going on. Not that there was much to tell, but that it was so abstract for him to describe in human words and phrases… and it wasn't exactly a collection of _human_ emotions. And when he finally did explain it, Billy didn't seem shocked. At all. If anything, Billy seemed pensive, deep in thought.

"So, what's going on?"

"Have you considered the legend of Taha Aki?" Billy asked solemnly.

Sam groaned. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

Billy stopped and faced him. "Why would you be afraid of it? It is an honor to even know you are descended from our greatest Spirit Chief, let alone have his gift."

"I know, but…"

"But we can speak of that later. You want to know why this has happened, and I will tell you why: it is because our tribe must again be protected from the Cold Ones."

"Cold Ones?"

"The Cullens, Sam. Haven't you ever wondered why they are not allowed onto our land? They cannot be trusted, no matter what pacts they have made. The Cold Ones are evil, blood-thirsty things that do not possess real control. And they have a new one, Jasper, with them now. You are the first of Taha Aki's sons to reappear, and I promise that you will not be the last."

"But who else will change?

"Who can tell? They will begin to show the signs when you have mastered your wolf spirit. You are the first, and because you have learned alone, you have been selected to be their leader and teach them to control themselves and protect the tribe. I will try to help you, and the Counsel will advise you, but for now you must leave. I can see in your eyes even now the anger and rage of the wolf spirit you have inside you. You do not yet have enough self control. Sam, this may be hard, but you must leave your loved ones. Quit your job. You can still hurt those you love without meaning to."

"Why aren't you afraid of me, then?

Billy smiled, and began meandering down the path. "The Cullens have been here before. Years ago. And so the young men of the village have changed before. My father was one of them, Sam. This is why you must listen to me. Now listen carefully: your anger is your trigger. When you know your limitations you can return."

"When will this all be over?"

"Who knows, Sam? Years, perhaps…"

"Oh, I can't stay that long… I'm off to State in August…"

"Sam, I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be going off this fall like you anticipated. These vampires won't be gone by the end of the summer."

"But… But I have a scholarship!"

"Self-sacrifice is honor, Sam. Now, you had something else to ask me?"

Sam gathered himself. "I remember in the legend that Taha Aki found his true spirit wife… Does that have any ramifications now…"

Billy almost chuckled. "I'm surprised it's happened already with you."

"What's happened?"

"When you have made the connection in your spirit between wolf and human, your human spirit searches for a more human thing it can hold on to. When it finds what its counterpart, it attaches itself to that spirit. This is what happened to Taha Aki. We call it imprinting."

"But… it's not my girlfriend."

Billy nodded. "It never is easy."

"But… can't you be un-imprinted or something?" Sam said, almost shouting with frustration.

"No. When spirits bond, it is forever. How can you settle for something your mere body loved when your spirit has found for you your complete and perfect match? You cannot ignore this, Sam. But do not shame Leah with this. Do not shame the other girl, whoever it may be."

They were silent for a moment. Sam caught a glimpse of his watch and started.

"Look, I've got to be at work. Thanks, Billy."

"You are welcome. You will take my advice?"

Sam thought about that morning, what he could have done to Leah. He wouldn't let that happen to anyone else.

"Yes. Thank you."

Sam rushed off in the opposite direction they had been walking. Everything Billy told him rushed through his head, almost clouding his vision.

"Leah…" Sam said, but even as he tried to think of her, he thought of Emily, leaning over him at the river. Frustration at his inability to change anything nestled in his heart. Rage exploded in his chest.

He never made it to work.

…

"Emily!" It was a choked sob, not a gleeful voice, when Emily got home.

"Leah? Are you okay?" Emily called. Leah was upstairs, appearing at the top of the steps. Her face was blanketed in tears.

"Oh, God Leah!" Emily ran up the steps and engulfed her cousin in a hug.

"Sam… It must be my fault… I…" she sobbed. Emily guided her babbling cousin into her bedroom and sat on the bed. "Okay. What is going on?"

"He's been missing for a few days. He hasn't showed up for work. Hasn't answered any of my calls. His parents haven't seen him anywhere."

"Oh my God," Emily said. She saw him again, naked, covered in blood, laying on the river bank like that day weeks before.

"But before, I found this note. Here…" Leah reached and grabbed a note from her bed stand and handed it to Emily. It was wrinkled with tears. Emily unfolded it.

Leah-

You always told me that if I stopped loving you not to tell you in writing or on the phone. But this isn't because I've stopped loving you. Something's happened… I can't tell you now what's going on. But I can't see you now, and I don't think I'll be able to be with you ever again after this. It would be dangerous.

I'll miss you every day, but I can't change anything.

Sam.

Emily looked at her cousin, then reread the note.

"I don't understand how he can't give any explanation… what is going on? It's been killing me. If he still loves me he would be able to tell me. And if he still loves me then why is he ending it?"

Emily was absorbed in her own thoughts… the way he had looked at her when she dropped him off those weeks ago. "Has he ever had blood on him, like he was in a fight or…?"

"Blood?" Leah looked at her, confused. "Like, a gang fight?"

"I don't know. I was just wondering…" Emily pretended to read the note for a third time to escape her awful stare.

"You know something, don't you?"

"No. I don't know anything, Leah. I promise."

Leah started crying again. Emily reached toward her, taking her in a hug.

"He'll turn up again, Leah. Don't worry. He'll turn up."

"I love him Emily. I'm _in love_ with him."

"I know. I know."

"I mean, I gave myself to him! We were going to get married after he went to college, so he'd have money for a ring… He was _the one_."

Emily drew in her breath, but Leah didn't notice.

"And now he can't ever see me again? Why? Why?"

Emily couldn't speak for fear of her secrets spilling from her lips. He'd told her not to tell anyone. Instead she patted Leah's hair and tried to calm her down.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Late that night, Emily crawled back into her bedroom. She lay on her bed for an hour, exhausted, staring up at the ceiling. Worrying. Again. Her mother would laugh. But Emily couldn't help her worrying. She worried about her sobbing cousin in the room across the hall. She worried about her aunt and her sick uncle. She worried about the disappearance of Sam Uley. Sam…

She sighed and sat up. She would not think about him. Despite the late hour, Emily was sure that Leah was still awake now, crying to herself silently. Leah could think about Sam. Emily was not allowed to.

Emily quietly turned on the old, 12-inch television that sat on her bureau. It opened on some old, black-and-white movie she'd never seen. She turned the volume down low so she wouldn't wake anyone else in the house and listened to Audrey Hepburn and William Holden flirt. How different flirting was back then! It seemed so glamorous. Their voices were low and smooth, even Audrey's, and the easy story of Sabrina Fairchild slowly melted away Emily's insomnia. Sabrina was just getting off the plane from Paris, and Emily was just closing her eyes, when something tapped against her window.

Emily's eyes slowly opened. She waited. Another tap. She groaned. Someone was trying to get her attention. But who could that be, so late at night?

She went to the window and opened it, looking down into the yard.

A man stood, his clothes torn, just below her. She almost didn't recognize him. He seemed taller, more muscular, and dirtier than before. His head was bare, his long hair shaved and gone. He looked like he'd just escaped the Killing Fields.

Sam.

He smiled when he saw her.

"Emily."

The way he said her name! She suddenly had a picture of Tony in _West Side Story_ singing that song, "Maria." How she'd wished her name was Maria when she watched that movie! But now, Sam was saying 'Emily' with the same reverence, and she hated it.

She needed to stop watching old movies.

"Sam! What are you doing? It's nearly two in the morning!"

"I… I just had to see you. I need to tell you something?"

"And it couldn't wait?"

Sam paused for a moment. "No."

Emily sighed in frustration. "I'm coming down."

She closed the window and crept down the stairs, careful not to wake her aunt and uncle or Leah and her younger cousin, Seth. Emily was going to give Sam a piece of her mind. When she swung the door open, Sam was already there. Emily pushed him (his chest was so hard against her hand!) onto the porch and closed the door.

"Sam, what are you doing here? What happened…"

"I need to tell you…"

She interrupted him. "Sam, do you have any idea what you are doing to Leah? What is going on?"

Sam turned his head. "I can't…"

"Yes you can. You tell me everything right now."

"No, I mean… You won't believe it, Emily."

"Try me." Emily, suddenly fiery, was determined to get answers for her cousin.

"This is going to sound ridiculous."

"That doesn't surprise me," Emily shot sarcastically.

Sam sighed, his hand running over his newly shaved skull.

"We have a legend. It's too long to tell now, but in one, one of our chiefs, Taha Aki, bonded his spirit with a wolf. And when he had children, his sons at the power to change into wolves… "

"What are you trying to tell me?" Emily snapped.

"They're true. All of them. I know, because I can transform like them, Emily."

Emily just got angrier. "Are you serious, Sam? _Je_sus…"

"I _am_ serious, Emily. I couldn't be more serious… I _haven't_ been more serious in my life then I am right now."

"Then do it. Change into a wolf."

"I can't. That's the reason I've been hiding out. It's too dangerous for me to be around people because I can't control it yet. I just _change_."

"But don't you just change at the full moon, Sam?" Emily mocked. Sam growled in frustration.

"Don't, Emily. I don't want to hurt you."

"Why? Because you don't seem to mind hurting Leah."

"Emily, please… I didn't mean for this to happen. But there is something else. This is what you need to know. When I started to change, I… It's called imprinting…"

Sam could feel his heart pounding. He tried to stop it.

Emily spitting her sentences and finally asked, "Imprinting?"

"That's what they call it when spirits bond. And you have to be with that person… no matter what has gone on before you changed…"

His breath was increasing.

"What?" Emily said, the color draining from her face.

"It happens after you first phase. The first time you see that person… you imprint."

"No, Sam…"

"I've imprinted on _you_, Emily." His head felt as if it was going to explode, but he had to say it all. He couldn't go back now, even if he tried. He'd follow Emily to the moon and back.

"Don't say that, please."

Her refusal shot through him, the pain waking the beast that lay waiting for its next escape. It took all his energy to keep it in. His strength left his legs and he fell to his knees.

"Sam! Are you okay?"

But how could he want anything but a refusal? It was dangerous for him to even speak to her, let alone love her, let alone stand before her like he had been. This was for the best, his mind tried to reason. The wolf within him snagged his pain with its sharp jaws and consumed it. It was growing stronger, replenished after its dormancy. The pain, the anger was howling inside him.

"Get inside the house," he gasped.

"No. Sam…" she kneeled in front of him, taking his face in hers. "Sam, look at me. Concentrate on me."

"Get away from me!" His shout twisted into a howl.

"No… Sam… Stay with me! Please, Sam, I can't bear to know that you are gone somewhere, disappeared... Please stay with me," she sobbed. Their eyes met for a moment before she swung her arms around him.

"I love you." He felt those words against his neck as she whispered them. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever felt. And then he began to implode.

Sam shook, his back curving, his tear-covered face changing.

"Emily, go!" A strangled cry.

"Jesus…" Emily's hands felt his bones refiguring. Her eyes grew wide, and she flew back, pressed against the wall.

"Emily…"

Then he screamed, and it was inhuman the way it burst from him. And suddenly it wasn't Sam kneeling in front of her on her porch, but a huge black, glossy wolf. And the wolf was standing, looking out to the forest. He was huge, and he was growling, his long incisors dripping with saliva. And he smelled her, and looked her way. Terror seized her, and she screamed when she didn't reach the doorknob.

…

He changed back almost instantly, and found himself crouched over something in Leah's front yard. He cried out, seeing Emily below him, torn to pieces. Three jagged cuts dug into the right side of her face, running down her neck, to her shoulders, her arm. Emily was lying in his arms, covered in blood. She emitted little whimpers, blood running into her nose and mouth, choking her, as she stared up at him in pure terror and absolute pain. Then she was sobbing, then piercing screams. All she could do was scream and thrash in his arms, her back arching, opening the wounds further. Her blood-soaked hands clutched his shirt desperately.

"Sam? Where is… EMILY!" He heard her aunt running toward them, screaming her niece's name.

"I found her… in the woods… a bear…" he managed to get out before her aunt took Emily in her arms. Emily was still screaming. Blood was everywhere. His shirt was soaked in it. His mind was clouded in the ungodly stench of her blood. He was slowly backing away. This was the worst thing he could ever imagine happening, and it was unfolding before his eyes. Leah's father rushed by him.

"Sue, what happ… Jesus Christ!" Harry Clearwater shouted, seeing his niece, his wife, covered in blood. "Sam, call 911! Go, hurry, in the living room!" Sam dodged her uncle as he appeared at the doorway.

Sam sprinted into the house, frantically looking for the phone jack. He heard something on the steps and looked up. Leah was staring at him, horrified. She opened her mouth to say something, but her younger brother appeared at the foot of the steps.

"What's going on?" Seth asked panicked. "Where's Emily? What happened?" His parent's frantic shouts and Emily's screaming seemed to slice through the walls.

"Go back upstairs, Seth," Leah said. The boy hesitated, trying to see out the open front door.

"Now!" She followed the boy back to him room, only once looking back at Sam.

Finally the call went through.

"Hurry!" Sam croaked to the receiver. "There's been an animal attack."

…

Mrs. Clearwater quietly sobbed on Sam's shoulder as they waited in the hospital lobby. Leah sat across from him, her brother beside her, silently staring down at the floor. Mr. Clearwater paced back and forth behind his children. Emily's appearance at the hospital had caused the night staff to rush into activity, but the noise and hysteria had calmed down. The white walls and tile seemed to glow to Sam, the sounds of the machines throughout the hospital created a all-consuming whirring sound that had settled Sam into a numb stupor. It was near five in the morning, three hours after the attack, when the doctor finally approached with news. The doctor, a young white woman, came into the waiting room. Her hair was still a little frenzied, but the surgeon's robe must have protected her pristine white jacket. Did doctors even wear jackets in operating rooms? His mind had been so scattered these many hours, working in overdrive behind his blank eyes. The Clearwaters stood, so Sam did as well.

"Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater?"

"Yes?" Sue Clearwater said shakily.

"Emily will live."

Mrs. Clearwater burst into tears again, muttering "Oh thank God!"

"It was a miracle you got her here so quickly. Emily will be very intensely scarred after this, however. She's going to need cosmetic surgery, because the stitches aren't going to do much to reconstruct the right side of her face. But otherwise she will make a full recovery."

"Thank you so much, doctor."

"Right now she's in an induced coma, but she's stable and bandaged, if you want to go in and see her."

Mrs. Clearwater nodded. Mr. Clearwater brought the doctor aside, probably to handle the paperwork.

They were going to see her. Sam's heart ripped apart as the older woman took his arm, and the doctor instructed a nurse to lead the family to Emily's room.

He almost cried out when he saw her. Blood-soaked bandages were piled on a cart next to the nurse who was changing them. He caught a glimpse of hundreds of stitches before the nurse quickly covered them with new white bandages. Tubes were plugged into Emily's arm. Her body lay slack on the bed, her shoulders far too high to be comfortable, her mouth just barely closed beneath the bundle of white bandages that covered half of her face. Mrs. Clearwater went to her niece's side, holding her good hand. Seth sat in a chair in the corner of the room, his head in his hands, trying to stop crying. Leah remained outside, staring at her cousin through the glass. Mrs. Clearwater kept saying her name, but Emily was far from them, deep in the world of hospital anesthetic.

This was too much for him. He couldn't bear seeing her like this, knowing he had made her this way. He closed his eyes and left the room, focused with all his strength on staying human.

…

Leah was watching her cousin through the window, but her attention turned to the man quickly leaving her room.

"Sam?"

"Not now, Leah. Not now."

"But I…"

"Leah, there are bigger things than us right now!" All of his pent-up frustration and pain lashed out at her. "Your cousin was almost _killed_ tonight! _Jesus_!" He was almost physically sick with her selfishness. Leah shrank back, scared he was going to punch something. Hopefully, the walls.

"Sam, I need an explanation." The night's events were too much, and tears were starting to fall from her red eyes again.

"Later. I can't be here right now." And then he was walking away so quickly, and she was too paralyzed to stop him. He barely took notice of Leah's father walking up the hallway toward Emily's room.

"Sam, where are you going?" he heard Mr. Clearwater say as Sam tore past him. He didn't answer.

Sam wanted to throw himself off a cliff. He wanted to be killed many times over, if that would repay what he did to Emily. If this is what he did to her, Emily didn't need him. She deserved someone better, someone who couldn't hurt her again. By the time he reached the hospital doors, he was running at a speed far too fast for a human. He took in the smell of the early dawn, the trees around him. All he could do was run, run, run as far away from that hospital, from the smell of her blood, from the scars on Emily's face. He changed without noticing, his blood-soaked clothes exploding in shreds behind him. He didn't care that he was traveling along a well-used highway, that he could be spotted any second by a passing car. The sun began to rise behind him. He didn't care about himself anymore.

He lost his footing and fell on the side of the road, and suddenly was a human again, struggling to rise from the dirt that covered his face and bare body as he sobbed. He couldn't run from Emily forever. He could barely stand to be so far away from her even now. Sam pushed himself up, felt his tears hitting his chest, and he knew what he must do.

He would vow to protect Emily always, but without her ever knowing or seeing him. He would disappear from the human world as soon as he was able, and follow Emily wherever she went. Nothing, not him, not any other person, not even any sort of accident, would ever hurt her again. Yes, this was what he must do.

Yet, he could not erase the feeling of her hands on his face, the look she gave him, or the sound of her voice telling him she loved him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sam was at the hospital every day, and every day Emily was getting better. At first, her wounds were still too painful for the doctors to rouse her yet. But with Emily far away in another, fabricated world, Sam found it was easy to keep his personal pact. He didn't have to sneak around now for her not to know he was there.

When he was there, Sam tried to set limits and rules for himself, but they were so easily _broken_! Watching from the window became watching from the bedside chair. No touching became only holding her hand. Only holding her hand became kissing her hand. Kissing her hand became kissing her forehead.

Sometimes he liked to imagine she knew he was there, that he could feel his presence whenever she woke, and that her warm hand could feel his lips after he'd kissed her palm. She wasn't ever supposed to see him, but he couldn't help wanting to tell her he was there and always would be.

However, as she healed and the pain eased, the doctors revived her from her induced coma. Her family was ecstatic to speak to her, show her they were still there, show her they still loved her. Emily's mother had driven in from the Makah reservation and was staying with the Clearwaters now, but seemed to always be at the hospital, continuously, waiting for Emily to wake. So Sam only stayed minutes during the day, and occasionally snuck in at the dead of night. But every day he was there.

…

When Emily was away getting the cosmetic surgery in Portland, Sam was ready to drop everything in La Push and follow her. But, at the same time, it happened. Another boy in the tribe started to show the signs, a boy named Jared. Emily being so far away and without him there almost drove him insane, but he had someone else he had to care for now. Sam left his parent's house, taken his college savings, and taken out a loan for a little house far into the woods, only accessible through a narrow, dirt road hidden by tall brush. Sam took the terrified Jared in and realized he had no idea how he was supposed to teach anyone just how to stop yourself from becoming a werewolf. He was still learning himself. But Sam did have little tidbits of information, like why close haircuts were necessary so the weight of your wolf fur wouldn't weigh you down.

Having two in the "pack," as Sam began to refer to himself and Jared, was in itself a learning experience. Sam had no idea how fast they could heal until Jared, in one of his first uncontrolled changes, tore his claws across Sam's chest. The pain was excruciating, and Sam suddenly relinquished his hold on his student and collapsed onto his back. Jared was over him, human again, in a moment.

"Sam? Sam, are you okay?" he was shouting. Sam slowly transformed back into his human body. The hair on his wolf body had made it difficult to see his wounds.

Sam tried to speak, but Jared wouldn't have listened. His face was enraptured on Sam's chest. He looked down, and his eyes grew wide. The wounds were visibly shrinking. He could feel the edges of his torn skin weaving together again, slithering back together, and suddenly his chest was completely new, free of any scars.

"What just happened?" Jared asked.

Sam touched his chest incredulously, then looked up at Jared. The boy smiled widely.

"That was so cool!"

And that was not good.

Well, technically being indefinitely strong _was_ a good thing. But Sam had been trying to teach Jared about being careful, about control and limits, and the more they learned, the more Jared began disregarding limits. He thought everything about being a werewolf was "cool," and super-speedy healing was just another perk, added to super speed, strength, agility, and of course, turning into a giant wolf.

Sam didn't want to use Emily as some example. In fact, he kept Emily in the very dark recesses of his mind, away from the other cool werewolf trick of pack mind-reading. But didn't he remember the first time he and Jared changed together? Something else Sam had discovered: a completely open mental connection between two changed persons. Sam had been bombarded with millions of memories and thoughts, many of which were awkward and embarrassing. He should have known that his personal effort at privacy was futile.

"Who is she?" Jared asked. The two were sitting on the curb of a McDonalds a few towns over. They had been racing through the woods and lost track of time and distance. They were still racing now. Who would be able to eat the most burgers in the allotted rest time? Sam was wining, just finishing his fifth burger.

"Who?"

"The girl in the hospital. The one you're always thinking about."

Sam stopped digging in the paper bag for the next wax-wrapped hamburger. He deliberated for a moment.

"She… Her name's Emily."

"Leah's cousin? The one that got attacked?"

"Yeah."

Jared sat there, wearing the sweat pants Sam told him to bring.

"I thought you were dating Leah."

"I was."

The past tense came out stronger than he'd hoped, and Jared's face became that of a little boy who'd said something inappropriate at the dinner table.

Sam explained imprinting as best he could.

"Will it happen to me too? This imprinting?" Jared asked. Sam couldn't tell if the kid was terrified or excited. He wasn't too good-looking. A certain romance might be something great to a kid like him.

"I don't know. Billy said it was rare, but it could happen. Just watch out for it."

"Okay."

There was an awkward silence.

"And… Jared? Emily wasn't attacked by a bear. She was attacked… she was attacked by me."

Jared's eyes went wide.

"But you said you'd stayed away from everyone when you changed!"

"I tried. But the one time, the one time I went back… I went to see Emily. Imprinting… You have to understand that it will make you do very strange, dangerous things. If ever you imprint, you will sacrifice your life to save that person. Hell, you will sacrifice your life just to _see_ that person again. I had to see her that night. But instead of sacrificing my life, I almost sacrificed hers when I lost control. That's why you are here. You must learn from my mistakes."

Sam closed his eyes, trying to refocus. Jared looked down. He was, for the first time, ashamed of this new power.

"Well, we should probably practice some more then."

"Yeah…" Jared said, standing. As much as Sam didn't want his thoughts out there, protecting the people he thought about from this new werewolf was far more advantageous than keeping secrets.

"How many burgers did you eat?"

Jared smiled. "Four. You?"

Sam smiled smugly. "Five."

"Don't let them weigh you down!" And Jared was off, his body exploding into a wolf as soon as he hit the tree line.

…

Emily hated the feel of the stitches on her face whenever she woke up. She hated the feel of her tightly pulled skin across her face, her neck, her arm and hand. It hurt so badly to move, so she didn't. The Clearwaters, along with her mother, came in almost every day. Her mother would hold her hand while her aunt spoke to her about anything that came to mind.

And every day Emily would ask, "How is Sam?" If Leah were there, she would purse her lips and leave to get something from the vending machine.

"Fine," her aunt would say shortly. "Been hanging out with the Quickwater boy. I think they are up to no good…"

"How could you say that?" her mother asked. "He… _saved_ Emily."

"I know, and I will forever be grateful to him for that. But he's moved out of his parent's house into some shack in the middle of the woods… Emily, why was he in the woods so late that night? Why were _you_?"

The only fault in the cover-up story was that single question. The first time Emily woke up, her aunt had, thankfully, told her Sam's story in question form. _Why were you in the woods by yourself? Didn't you see the bear? How did Sam get you back to our house?_

"I don't know. But he's a good guy. I doubt he's doing anything wrong."

"Why hasn't he come to see you, then? I haven't seen him here since that night." Her aunt's bitterness only made the ache in Emily's heart worsen.

Emily choked, looking down. "I don't know…" she whispered.

"Don't upset her, Sue," her mother warned.

Emily's aunt made a clicking noise. "Right. Well, visiting hours are almost over. We'd better be going." She kissed the side of Emily's forehead that wasn't bandaged. "Take care."

"I will."

"I love you," her mother said as she kissed her daughter's forehead. Leah came to her and squeezed her hand.

"Get well soon, okay?"

"I will."

She wished he'd come. She'd waited for weeks, but all she ever heard of him was his possible mischief in the woods. Only she knew what he was doing, what he was. She knew he was helping that poor boy out. That boy must have changed too.

She just wished he took some time to help _her_, to see _her_. Even when she was far away for her surgery, she hoped she would wake up and see his face, not her mother's, leaning over her, asking if she was okay. Before she went to Portland, she'd often wake up in the middle of the night and her hand would be warm, her face would bear a gentle trail like someone had caressed her. She blamed it on the dreams of him sitting at her bedside, telling her he still loved her, and hoping he'd still love her back. But the warmth was too real.

The warmth made it all the worse, because it gave her hope. From the very beginning, Emily knew she should have hated Sam. He had abandoned her cousin for her. He almost killed her because he was stupid and misjudged his self-control. He scarred her for life, ruined her so she would be however slightly deformed for the rest of her life. Until she died, she would have to put up with whispers and stares from everyone whenever she went out in public. But She couldn't hate him. She realized how awful he must feel, how he must be punishing himself, how uncontrollable he was, how torn he must be between Leah and herself. Many things came to her as she sat there, wanting him beside her.

But most of all, she realized how much she missed him.

Now that she was back in her local hospital, taking time to recover once again, she longed to feel that warmth on her face, hand, arm…

After they left, and Emily closed her eyes, holding her hand to her chest (the hand seemed so warm) trying to imagine him next to her.

…

Sam turned the corner of the hallway, and saw Emily's door was open. He'd seen the Clearwater's car in the parking lot, and so had been sitting for an hour outside the hospital, waiting for them to leave. He crept up to the doorway and peeked in. Her eyes were closed; her head drooped against the pillow. She was asleep. And alone. Good. He stepped in quietly, and went to the chair. The nurse had warned him how little time there was left for visiting hours, but he didn't need too long. Just to see her; hold her hand; make sure she was safe. It felt so good to have her back near La Push.

He sat silently in the chair and watched her. He frowned, seeing tear tracks drying on her cheeks. He raised his hand to wipe them away, but at his touch her eyes opened.

"Sam." A whisper.

He was frozen, petrified.

"Emily."

She frowned. "I'm dreaming again."

"No. No, I'm here. You aren't dreaming." He couldn't stop the words. It would be far better for her to think she dreamt this encounter!

"Really?" She smiled as best she could.

"Yes." Even with the stitches, the scars, she was so beautiful.

They sat there for a few moments, just taking each other in.

"I've missed you," she finally said, raising her uninjured hand to caress his face.

Sam was silent for a moment, reveling in her touch. Her fingertips lazily danced across his brow, touched the roughness of his cut hair, then down to his jaw.

"Haven't you missed me too, Sam?" she whispered.

Sam nodded. "I've been to see you more than you know."

"When?" she whispered.

"Every day. Every day you've been here in this hospital I've come to see you."

She dropped her hand. "Why didn't you ever come when I was awake?"

Sam saw she was hurt. No! She was never supposed to hurt again!

Sam took her hand in his and squeezed it. She felt the warmth, and she smiled at the touch. He still didn't say anything. Though the silence twisted her heart, Emily was just glad to have him near her.

"How is Jared Quickwater?"

"You know…?"

"He's like you, right?"

"Yes."

"Is he doing…?"

"I don't want to talk about him. Emily, how are you? Are you okay?"

He kissed her fingers in a natural motion, entwined with his own.

"I'm perfect now, since you're here."

"You'll never be perfect now, because of me," he whispered, not meeting her gaze. She could see tears welling in his eyes. She squeezed his hand.

"Don't think about that…"

"How can I do that, Emily?" He shook his head, frustrated with himself. "How can I live with myself, knowing I did this to you? I wish I had had someone like Jared, because I would have been able to control myself, and this wouldn't have happened…"

Emily placed their entwined hands against her chest.

"It's done, Sam. You can't undo it."

"It doesn't stop me from wishing I could."

"I know."

She paused, watching him close his eyes, praying for forgiveness.

"Sam, I know this makes it hard for you. I know you still love Leah. I know you blame yourself. But I love you. I loved you last summer, when I watched you take out my best friend, and I love you now, after you've hurt me again."

"You liked me last summer?" He looked up at her.

"Yes." She grinned, and Sam couldn't help but laugh. She took her hand from his and touched his face, holding the side of it with her palm. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"I can't believe you don't hate me after what I've done."

"I couldn't if I wanted to."

They sat in silence together. Sam knew he was throwing his plan, purpose, and limits to the wind. But he didn't care.

"I wish everything was different. I wish I chose you before I chose Leah. I wish we had already been in the works before everything… changed. Then this wouldn't have happened…" Sam took her hand again.

"It still could have happened. Even if we didn't know each other at all, even if you weren't with Leah… I could have been in the woods at the wrong time, Sam. There are so many could have's and wishes. But we can't change what happened. We just have to live with it."

A nurse popped in. "Visiting hours end in five minutes." She saw their entwined hands and gave a knowing smile, then continued down the hall.

"I should go," Sam said, standing up.

"Stay. Just until the end. We can talk about anything you want. Anything. Except me, or what happened, or, apparently, Jared Quickwater."

This was wrong. Sam was supposed to protect her from a distance, stay far away and let someone else love her. Nothing good could come from them being together. But he sat back down. "Okay." He grinned. Emily all but sighed in pleasure.

It was so beautiful when he smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sam pushed through the doors of the grocery store where Leah worked and leaned to look down the row of cashiers. He wasn't exactly scared, and what he was summoning wasn't exactly courage. What he was feeling and summoning he did not know. Perhaps it was will power. Sam was summoning the will to look at Leah again, to tell her everything. Would she care? Would she believe him? Probably not. Should their roles be reversed, he wouldn't believe her either. He knew he needed to do this, but he did not want to.

It had been a month since he'd seen her last. The hospital. The night of the attack. He saw her back to him as she chatted with the costumer, passing items over the scanner lightheartedly. She turned suddenly, toward the register, but her face swung around and saw him. As if she felt him, felt his presence. The good humor she'd had on her face was gone, replaced with a scowl. He waited until the costumer passed him, her own scowl on her ancient face directed towards him, then approached Leah's kiosk.

It was early. There weren't very many people in the store, and Leah's line was completely empty. She glared at him as he approached her.

"Can you take a break? We need to talk."

She did not move, did not speak, just stared at him. Her eyes were twisted in rage, her lips quivering. She looked down in an effort to remain in control and poised.

"Leah, please."

Finally she nodded. Leah pushed by him, going out of her way to avoid touching him in any way. Sam followed her, quickening his pace to keep up with her long stride.

She paused at the manager's kiosk and told him she was taking a short break, and he nodded. Another glare. Sam sighed but understood. He figured he must not look too wholesome and heroic with his shaved head and his dark jacket over a thin, tight t-shirt (it wasn't a fashion statement… all his clothes were just too small now!), all traveling in a solemn, heavy walk.

Sam followed Leah behind the store, among the dumpsters and the loading docks. There was another employee back there, smoking, but at the sight of them he threw down his half-smoked cigarette onto the stained pavement and left in a hurry. Sam ground it under his shoe.

"I thought you were gone for good, Sam." Her arms were crossed. She was trying to look tough, prepared, nonchalant. But her eyes gave her away.

"Leah, it's complicated…"

"No, Sam! It's all very simple, you know? You tell me what is going on, and I believe you, because I love… loved you." Her self-control disappeared for a split second, and she stopped and found it again. "You made me look ridiculous! Everyone is talking about you and your… I don't even know… _gang_ activity? And how you left me at home, "bad boy" that you are."

"Leah, please… let me explain…"

"Is it too late for explanations, Sam? Step into my shoes for a moment… is it too late?"

"You deserve to know."

"Of course I _deserve_ to _know_! I wanted to know right away! Sam, I loved you!" She began to break down. "We were going to get married! Of course when you started getting sick, I was worried! When you kept disappearing, I was worried!"

"Then let me tell you!" Sam all but bellowed. Leah shut her mouth, her eyes locked on his, boring into him, daring him to speak. Sam had forgotten the possible magnitude of Leah's temper.

"You aren't going to believe me. But you can talk to Billy Black, and he told me to tell you. You remember the legends? Of Taha Aki?"

"How we're descended of wolves?" Leah smirked.

"Yes. Well, its all true, Leah. Every word. I talked to Billy Black. He explained everything to me. Taha really could transform, and his descendants… well, his male descendants anyway, can too, if provoked."

"You're saying… you are a werewolf?"

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me."

"Go on. Please, Sam, continue. This is ridiculously amusing." She laughed mockingly.

"It's not, Leah. Listen to me! It's the… the Cold Ones that trigger us becoming this way. Didn't you ever wonder why that Cullen family isn't allowed on the reservation?"

"Yeah, but I never jumped to the _obvious_ reason that they are vampires, Sam!" she snarled sarcastically.

"It's true! And I've been struggling with this… changing… for a while, but I've finally gotten it under control. I'm teaching Jared—you remember Jared Quickwater?—to control it too. There will be more that change… an even greater pack."

"A pack?" Leah snorted. "Do you _hear_ yourself?"

"It's true! It's all true! Why would I wait this long to tell you anything else?"

"Because you are a fucking bastard, Sam Uley. It figures. You were utterly perfect before, and I thought I was in love with you…"

"You _were_ in love with me. And I was in love with you too."

Leah turned away from him for a second and wiped her eyes quickly with her palms. When she faced him again, he eyes were red and she was biting her lip, trying to stop the tears that were bubbling under her eyelids.

"Well, I'm not anymore, Sam." She glared at him. "I hate you."

Despite all that had happened between them, despite the incurable passion he felt for his broken Emily, Leah's words slashed through him. He hadn't thought it would be so painful.

"I know."

"I hate you, and your lies, and your abandonment, and… I just…"

"I'm so sorry, Leah. But they aren't lies. I'm telling you the truth."

She inhaled and rubbed her eyes again. "I'm going back to work…This is ridiculous."

She tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm and swung her to face him.

"I attacked Emily, Leah."

Her face went white.

"I… I went to tell her… and I wasn't ready yet… to be around normal people."

Leah opened and closed her mouth several times before getting her words out. "You are _sick,_ Sam! A _bear_ attacked her and…"

"No, Leah, I did! You can ask her about it. I was so angry because…" he stopped himself.

"Because why?" Leah was suddenly very still and quiet.

"Because I loved you, but was dedicated to her. It's this weird thing with our spirits…"

"_Spirits_?" She laughed bitterly. "Regular Indian, are you now?"

"Leah, shut up and listen to me!" Billy describes it better. But I can't help it, Leah. If I could still be with you, I would have gotten myself attached to you. I would have told you first. _You_ would be the one sitting in the hospital right now. I knew you'd react like this, and I knew I'd get angry, so I waited until I knew that I would not hurt you like I did Emily. I never want to hurt another person like I did her." He shook her with every sentence, shook her until her sarcasm and anger finally left.

Leah looked terrified. "Jesus. You're telling the truth, aren't you?" she whispered.

"Yeah."

They were silent. He let her go, and for a second she wavered. He thought she might faint.

"I wished I could pick you, Leah. If I could control it, I would have had _our_ spirits bond. But I can't _not_ be with Emily. It physically _hurts_ to be away from her. I wished I could change it…" he pleaded.

"You 'wished.' But now you wouldn't, would you?"

Sam was silent. He hadn't meant to use the past tense. But now, as he thought about gentle, loyal Emily and harsh, vengeful Leah, he wouldn't go back. He would choose Emily. Every time he would choose Emily.

"Well I guess that makes it easier. You won't keep trying to run back, will you? It just ends, forever, right here."

"I'm sorry."

"I am too, Sam. I am too."

"Please, don't take it out on Emily. It's not her fault at all."

Leah ignored him.

"I'll go talk to Billy. I need to go, Sam. I need to think."

"I'm sorry."

"I know. I heard you the million times before. But sorry just isn't good enough, sometimes."

Leah walked away, not looking back once as she curved around the building. Sam stood there, utterly drained. He wished she would have beat at him, been angry, so he could finally seal her away. But her passive acceptance killed him the most. He knew she wouldn't accept it quietly. It would come back out, again and again.

Upward he looked at the sky, which was growing darker and darker. He was supposed to meet Jared soon. Carefully, he took off his clothes and tied them to his leg before phasing. Then, hearing the boy's thoughts in his head, "Where _are_ you?" he plunged into the woods.

…

"Do you smell that?"

Jared's thought ran through Sam's mind.

"Yes."

"What is it?"

They stopped, two huge glossy wolves. Sam had never smelled a vampire before. He never traveled very close to the Cullen's hidden mansion, and he certainly hadn't ever taken Jared. But instinct told him that the scent, this strange, strong scent, was theirs.

"Cold Ones."

"It's the Cullens?"

"That's strange… The Cullens wouldn't come this close to the reservation." And Sam was off, tracking the scent as it rode the wind's edge.

The scent carried them west, until they almost ran into them. A group of three, two males and a female with hair the color of blood. They were dressed like hikers, but their overwhelming smell, like blood and stone, washed over Sam and Jared. But impaired as they were for the strength of the grotesque smell, they both were certain that these were not the Cullens.

"I think I'm going to be sick, Sam," Jared thought.

"Shut up, Jared!" Sam had heard that some of them might have special powers beyond what normal blood-suckers could do. What if one of these could read minds?

Wind ruffled their fur, and they tried to hide their huge bodies better behind the overgrown brush. But the wind which had led them so loyally now betrayed them, pushing the scent right into the threesome of Cold Ones. Each one of them twisted, the simultaneous motion so sharp, taking in the smell. Sam froze in silent panic. Could Jared and Sam fight them off if need be? Would their size and strength even out the numbers?

One of them, one of the males, took a step toward them and took in another deep breath. He made a disgusted face.

"Just a couple of wolves. Jesus, I've never smelled any wolf like that before."

"Animals. I don't know how that family in Denali can bring themselves to do it."

"You've never been hungry enough, Victoria. When you are, you will know."

"Don't talk down to me, Laurent!"

The other, the unnamed, turned back around.

"Stop bickering. Now where are the Cullens again?" The one named Laurent had a map.

"Good. We're close."

Sam and Jared crept away as the three vampires began bickering to themselves. As soon as he thought it was safe, Sam broke into a run, Jared right behind him.

"What are they doing, going to the Cullens?"

"Maybe the Cullens aren't as civilized as we thought."

…

"I told her," Sam said.

He was with Emily, his head lying softly in her lap as she ran her fingers over and over the roughness of his scalp. The events of the afternoon, seeing the three vampires in the forest, felt so far away. He felt hypnotized under her touch. He could have forgotten everything that had happened to him in the last few months right then, under the steady patterns of her hands going over and back on his skull. But when he spoke, her fingers suddenly stopped.

"You told… Leah?"

"Everything."

Her fingers resumed, but slower, carefully, absentmindedly.

"Did it go… well?"

Sam sat up, and Emily's hands fell into her lap.

"When could any confrontation with Leah go well?"

She tried to return his smile, share his attempt at a joke, but it didn't reach her good eye.

"So, she knows what you are?"

"Yes. She said she's going to go see Billy Black sometime."

"Oh. That's… good."

"Emily, what are you scared of?"

Emily looked down, her hands clenched. Sam took those hands in his.

"She should have had you, Sam."

Sam sometimes forgot how close Emily and Leah had been. Best friends, like sisters. They told each other almost everything that had ever happened to them. Their families vacationed together. They were constantly calling, e-mailing, and writing each other when they were apart. Yes, Sam had lost a girlfriend, and he had loved her. But Emily had lost family, her sister, her best friend since birth. And Emily blamed herself for everything, for Leah's pain, for even the attack. That Sam couldn't understand.

"No, this all happened for a reason, Emily. I wasn't meant for her, I was meant for you. The circumstances are bad, yes, but we are supposed to be together. Do you know what Leah asked me today?"

Emily shook her head. Her head hung down, the stitches almost visible beneath the tight gauze.

"I told her I wished I could change it, and she asked, 'Would you change it back now?' And I realized, I wouldn't. I wouldn't go back to her. I would choose you over and over and over again."

"You don't owe me anything, Sam. Is that why you come? Because you think that because you… did…" she didn't finish. She took her hands from his.

"Don't do this, Emily."

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to. You don't have to be with me if it's because you feel guilty. When these stitches come out, even… I'm going to be hideous and…You won't want me anymore."

"You could never be hideous, Emily. I will always want you."

"Sam, you do this because you feel guilty. That is all. You see me here in the hospital bed and you feel pity and guilt that you put me here, and that is why you stay. It's just the guilt. Once I'm out, once I'm more or less healthy and out of this hospital, you'll be gone."

"I do feel guilty. I won't lie to you and tell you I don't. I'm angry at myself for doing this. I hate myself for what I did to you. I won't ever stop feeling guilty, Emily. But I'm not here because of that guilt. Yes, I want to make things right. But I'd be here even if I didn't do it. I felt like this that night, before any of this happened, when I saw you at your window."

"You don't…"

"I love you, Emily."

Her heart skipped a beat in shock. The machine next to her flashed for a few moments before returning to normal.

"And I will never leave you. Ever." He bent and kissed both of her hands.

"I love you too, Sam." The way she said his name, like a sigh. He wanted more than anything to kiss her then. But he couldn't, not now. He smelled her family coming around the corner.

"Your mother and aunt are here."

Emily seemed to sag back into her pillow.

"You're going."

"I'll be back tomorrow."

He kissed her forehead (did he imagine her gasp at the touch?) then disappeared out the door.

…

…

…

AN:

Just a quick little note…. Hello readers! Thank you so much for reading my little story, and thank you also to you readers that say such nice things in your reviews.  I just wanted to, 1) say that and also 2) tell you that I'm giving you two chapters now because I'm going to Portugal for two weeks. I really hated when my favorite authors didn't update their stories quickly, and while I might not be your favorite author, I at least want to make sure you aren't waiting too long for the next installment.

Just please review, because the feedback makes writing this story completely worth it! Expect Chapter Seven sometime after August 8th (my return date), okay? And again, thanks for reading and reviewing! I love you guys!

Love, musicsetsmefree1


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The three vampires seemed to vanish directly after Sam and Jared discovered them. There were no bodies in the forest. There was no scent of spilled human blood. There was no evidence that they had even been in Washington. So the pack turned their eyes back to their reservation. There was a lot of work to be done.

Sam hadn't expected the amount of power he would receive as leader of this pack. Not only was he a teacher and leader for Jared and newcomer Paul, who had the self-control of a starving grizzly bear, but he was also invited to sit in on the Council and become an Elder of the tribe. They treated him like they did Billy, their unofficial chief, and listened well to his opinions. He and his pack became a gang of law enforcers, going after those causing problems throughout the reservation. Underground problems, like drugs and alcohol. A meth dealer from the Makah reservation was chased off the reservation, the liquor store began checking IDs. One of the men who, because of his alcohol, beat his wife and child constantly, was frightened into domestic tranquility. The very women who had spread rumors about his gang activity began thanking Sam for keeping the peace. Some wondered just how this pack of three men managed to do all they did, but they were mollified with messages and slogans of tribal pride. Who could find any fault in that?

So the reservation was cleaner, the tribe was safer than ever, and Emily would never be hurt again, but Sam was still preoccupied beneath his calm façade. The appearance of the new vampires, Sam knew that the pack would continue to grow. But who would be their fourth, fifth, sixth members? The Council provided some clues, like the ancestry of the boys in the tribe. Then there were the physical signs like the sudden growth spurt and the rapid expanse of muscle. But those signs were difficult. Being six-one or six-two was the norm for boys on the reservation.

Sam had a list of definites. Quil Aterea would. Seth Clearwater would, when he was older. But the one boy he knew had to change, the one boy that should have changed first, the one boy that was the rightful leader of the pack… was Jacob Black. And he showed no signs of changing any time soon.

Both his grandfathers had been part of the last pack. Not only did that all but guarantee he would change, but it also suggested just how strong Jacob Black would be. He'd be stronger, more capable than Sam barely weeks into his new self. He would be elite.

But Jacob managed to stay perfectly and infallibly human. And the longer Jacob stayed human, the more time he had to bitterly hate Sam Uley. He didn't know why or for what reason, but Jacob hated Sam and Jared and Paul as if they were the criminals, not the protectors. Every time Sam came to see Billy, Jacob made it very clear he was not welcome. His friends, Embry and pack possibility Quil, whole-heartedly supported Jacob's opinion.

But if it was just looks and occasional under-their-breath insults, Sam could deal with it. But he knew his pack didn't like it.

Sam, Jared, and Paul had just raced from the tip of the Washington peninsula back to La Push. Their spirits were high, but their bodies were dehydrated, so they'd slowly made their way to The Store, so called because, well, it was the only store on the reservation. It was a kind of mini-grocery store, like an expanded 7-11. Sam led them past the short rows of cans and produce to the back, where two refrigerators stood lined with any kind of drink you could want. The Store must have received half of their profits from those little refrigerators, whose contents energized, re-hydrated, and quenched just about every teenager on the reservation. Sam gritted his teeth when he saw the particular group surrounding the back wall now.

Standing in front of those fridges were Jacob, Quil and Embry.

Jacob and Quil were standing against one of the aisles, heckling Embry to make his choice. The door was open, and his hand was reaching in toward what the other boys had: Monster energy drinks. Sam had to fight back a laugh at that. If only they knew what ran around their reservation at night.

When Jacob and Quil saw Sam and his boys they were instantly quiet, glaring at the pack of three. Embry sensed something amiss in their silence and turned around. He released the fridge door in surprise. It snapped onto its rubber frame with a loud slap.

"Evening, guys," Sam said. He reached toward the other fridge, the one lined with gallons of juice, milk, and cider and retrieved a gallon of water. He moved out of the way. Jared and Paul plucked out their own giant water bottles.

"See you around," Sam said, nodded once to each of the boys and fixing Jacob with a concentrated glance. "Embry, Quil… Jacob."

They all looked back at him with such distaste on their faces. Poor Embry. His mother and he had come down from the Makah reservation, where Emily was from, so he had no possibility of changing. He'd never know just what his friends would be getting into, when they changed. But then again, it was better for him. He would never be cursed with that kind of life.

Sam started toward the front of the store, with Jared and Paul trailing him down an aisle.

"Nice haircut, Paul," Quil muttered with a bitter smirk on his face. Sam heard Paul's low growl, too low for the boys to hear. Sam twisted around far too fast and pushed Jared out of his way.

The boy's eyes were dark, dangerous. His hands were clenched and shaking, his nails biting into his palm so deeply that blood was running from between his bent fingers. He had taken a step forward, toward the oblivious boys. Sam rushed between Paul and the others, the unchanged, and pushed him back a step, shaking his head.

"Paul."

Paul looked into Sam's face for a moment. Sam couldn't afford this, not here. But Paul's temper couldn't be stopped after it began. Paul closed his eyes, his hands shaking. Sam willed control into him, so much so that he had to steady himself.

And then Paul exhaled, and with that breath went his anger. He settled down. He took a shaky breath.

"Go to the register with Jared, Paul."

"I'm sorry." He said it so quietly that Sam barely heard it.

"Its fine. Go to the register."

Paul hung his head as he and Jared headed to the front of the store. Sam turned back to Quil. The boys looked terrified.

Good. Paul had enough issues without these boys' contributions.

"Enjoy your drinks, boys. Watch yourself, Quil."

Sam turned his back on them. He heard Quil mock him with his own, "Watch yourself, Quil," and Embry elbow him with a "Quil, shut the fuck up. Idiot."

"I'm so sorry, Sam," Paul said when they were outside. They were sitting on the curb. Their gallons were half empty.

"Its okay, Paul."

"I thought I was better."

"It takes a long time. You've only been changing for a few weeks."

"Yeah. You controlled yourself really well," Jared threw in. Paul managed a sigh of acceptance and took another swig of water.

"How are your palms?"

Paul looked grim as he showed Sam and Jared the disappearing, crescent-shaped scabs in the middle on the dried rivers of his blood. He poured a little of his water onto his hands, and they all watched as the blood revealed his completely healed palms.

…

Emily Young was finally out of the hospital. The day she left felt like a holiday, and was treated as so by her family. The Clearwaters had decorated their car with balloons. Her mother had a sign that read, "Welcome home, Emily!", garishly colored in at least thirteen different colors and three different colored glitter pens.

Sam was there, but back near the doors, far behind the family.

Leah was making a big show of ignoring him.

Sam heard the wheels, picked up her scent before her family did. Her nurse was pushing Emily in a wheelchair, though why such an instrument was necessary Sam didn't know. Her legs were perfectly fine, and Emily proved it when she stepped out of her still-traveling seat and ran for her mother. The scars were more or less healed, but were still violently red against her dark skin and white summer dress, as if they were still open and following. Emily laughed and threw herself on her aunt, uncle, mother, and Seth.

When she got to Leah, there was an awkward pause. Leah, too hurt to give in to the victor, and Emily, ashamed but yearning to make things right, each stood before each other, staring. Finally, Emily put out her hand, and Leah took it. They shook hands. Sue Clearwater quietly scolded her daughter as Emily turned back to Seth.

It was then that she saw Sam, waiting. He hadn't wanted to get in the way of this reunion, just wanted to let her know that he had known, and that he was there. He would always be there. All he needed was a nod, a smile, and he would be gone. He knew it wouldn't be long before he saw her again.

But Emily could not wait. The quiet, cautious, thoughtful girl disappeared in a moment as Emily ran at him without shame, without doubt, without any thoughts of her cousin Leah behind her, watching her. Sam caught her as she jumped into his arms.

"I'm glad you're…"

"Oh, shut up, Sam," she said with a grin before kissing him. He almost dropped her in sheer surprise. The kiss was much too deep, much too long, and much too public, but they did not care. Her fingers, scarred and otherwise, held onto either side of his face as if he would break away before she wanted him to. As if that was any kind of possibility.

They didn't know what would happen when they left that hospital, where the future would bring them. They simply took their moment in. Their breath shook as their lips parted. Their kiss was everything they'd hoped for, better than what they'd dreamed.

It was the kiss Sam had been waiting for since the day on the river.

"Hi," she said against his lips when she pulled away. Sam laughed and kissed her again.

"Emily!" Emily twisted in Sam's arms at her mother's voice. Each one of them, her party, stood staring at her in complete shock. Leah had already stalked off. Her aunt's face was twisted in a mixture of anger, betrayal, and "I told you so."

"Let's go home, Emily," her mother said. Her voice was strained, angry.

The party was over. It hadn't even begun yet.

Sam dropped her carefully.

"I'll see you later," she whispered, before her mother grabbed hold of her good hand and yanked toward the door.

Sam passed through the door a few minutes later, enough to see Harry drive out of the parking lot, the entire family grim inside a car covered in balloons.

…

"Mom, I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back with you," Emily said as she watched her mother pack her things. The doctor had told her that her arm was still fragile and tender, so her mother had taken it upon herself to pack Emily's things.

"Ready to go… but the doctor said…"

"No, I mean, I want to stay here. In La Push."

Her mother turned around, her face grim. "You mean you want to stay here with Sam Uley."

Emily inhaled. "Yes."

Her mother clucked her tongue and went back to packing her suitcase.

"I think it would be better if you came home for a little bit. You should just come home and relax and…"

"And what? Be safe? I would be safest here with Sam."

"Just because he found you in the woods does not mean he is your personal savior, Emily."

"Its more than that, Mom. I'm… I'm in love with him."

"No, you _think_ you're in love with him."

"No! Mom, listen to me! I am. I can't go back now. I want to stay here. I… I want to marry him."

Her mother finally stopped folding her shirts.

"Has he asked?"

Emily reddened beneath her dark, scarred skin. "Well no, but…"

"You shouldn't expect things like that from men. Just because they say 'I love you' does not mean its forever."

"Its different."

Her mother pursed her lips. "I thought I taught you well enough, Emily! You were so cautious and thought everything through. You… you… You've never even had a serious boyfriend before!"

Emily scowled.

"And what about college?"

"I could always do some online courses…"

"You had a full scholarship!"

"Mom! I wasn't asking your permission. I was telling you that I'm staying here!" Emily said. Her mother took a step back in response to her daughter's uncharacteristic outburst.

"Emily…"

"I'm sorry, Mom."

Her mother sat down on the bed beside the small pile of Emily's unpacked clothes. Emily sat next to her and lay her hand around her mother's shoulders.

"I don't want you to be a burden on the Clearwaters," her mother finally said.

"I won't."

"They are angry with me. They are angry with both of us. They thought this little spat between Leah and Sam would slide. They were expecting the same thing, Emily."

Emily bit her lip. "I know."

"Where are you going to go?"

"There's this little house on the edge of the reservation where Sam lives and…"

"You are going to live… with Sam?"

The tone in her mother's voice was cold. Her mother had gotten pregnant very young with Emily, and the father had run off. Any sort of pre-martial anything was not heard of, and Emily knew it.

"He's going to move out. Go back to his mother for a little while." That might be a lie now, but perhaps she could persuade Sam into it. For appearances' sake.

Her mother sat down on the bed and closed her eyes.

"You are sure about this?"

"Yes, Mom. Completely."

"Because this isn't like you. Where is my timid little girl?" Her mother brushed her daughter's hair with her fingers, staying clear of those brutal red scars. Silent tears had been running down her face.

"This is something I have to do myself, Mom. I'm ready."

Her mother opened her crying eyes and met her daughter's.

"Then do it, Emily. I won't hold you back."

"Thank you," Emily whispered. Her mother wound her arms around her daughter. It was the last time she would be only hers.

…

Everything worked out just as Emily hoped. Emily moved to La Push, and Sam gave her the little shack of a house he had been living in since he began to change and made a show about moving back in with his mother. Unsurprisingly, he didn't spend too much time back home.

The house was practically in shambles, so Sam, with some volunteer help, some forced help, from Jared and Paul, had fixed it up and even painted the house for her. "Emily's house" it was now called, but it was still where the Pack began, and thus continued to be the meeting place for Sam and his boys. They would meet there before disappearing into the night, or they would join there for a meal and a laugh. The three adopted Emily as a second mother, despite the fact that she was just about as old as they were. She cooked for them and gave them their haircuts. She treated their cuts and wounds when they came back from the woods, even when they insisted that their wounds would be fine in a few minutes. With Sam as their patient leader, and Emily as their mother, it was as if they were a huge, burly, and slightly hairy family.

While Sam thought that fixing the roof and repainting the outside was all the house needed, Emily made sure he was grievously mistaken. She was cleaning the inside for weeks afterward. She planted flowers in a box outside her window, and painted the box bright colors. Sam hadn't thought the grey was so bland until he saw the fresh coat of orange.

Inside, she added replacement everything. Shopping here and there to save money, the house and its contents gradually looked like, well, like they belonged to a girl.

The huge transfer from his to hers took up most of Emily's time, which was good, because she would have otherwise been sitting in that house alone. Sam tried to visit as often as he could, but with his responsibilities to the pack, Sam couldn't be around all the time.

And Sam hated not being around all the time, because he had so much to learn about Emily. As he watched the house change around him, he realized he really didn't know much about her. They had known each other before, but they had never had a conversation to themselves, gone somewhere just to be alone. And now, Emily was everywhere, but he didn't recognize it! The bookshelves that had remained rather empty around the TV were suddenly completely full… and they were full of _books_! Hundreds of books, and only the top shelf were ones Emily had not read yet. It boggled Sam's mind that she had read all these books.

Sam was twenty and had just graduated high school. He entered school late and was then held back an additional year in middle school. He was a strict slacker, and his religion was Cliffnotes-oriented. He couldn't remember reading one page of any of the books he was assigned. And yet, here they all were, on shelves in Emily's house, worn from use! He'd even caught her reading 'War and Peace.'

"What?" she'd said. "Everyone always talks about it and I've never read it."

Who talks about 'War and Peace'?

And whose favorite books were plays by Shakespeare and other 300-paged works of torture? Did anyone really read 'the Odyssey' anymore?

And the answer to all of those questions was "Yes: Emily."

Sam was fascinated by her, by how she thought. Emily was eighteen, smart, and had had a full scholarship to the college of her choice. Sam had received a partial scholarship to State because he was Quillete and good at track. She'd given up such a bright future to stay in a tiny, crumbling house on a reservation in the middle of the woods and care for him and his expanding pack of werewolves. She'd given up education, something she'd obviously cared passionately for, for stupid jokes around the dinner table with three tall but half-witted adolescent boys. She'd given up her mind, her beauty, her life for Sam. How could he ever repay her for that? What could he ever do that would make this life suitable for her? How could he want any more from her?

Because he did want more.

Emily was shy, must shyer than Leah ever had been. Sam soon learned that her spontaneous kiss at the hospital was something she normally didn't do. She got flustered when he would tell her she was sexy, when he would touch her when they kissed… she even made him sleep downstairs on the pull-out couch when he stayed over. Try as he might, Emily as a whole was still unconquered.

It had been a month since the vampires, and the tribe was quiet. Sam had called a night off, and Emily had invited him to her house. As he crossed the lawn and scaled the steps, he vowed to himself to make this night The Night.

She opened the door as soon as he knocked. She was wearing the white dress, th one from the hospital, the one from the kiss, and he took it as a sign. She smiled, gently closing the door behind him.

"Hi. I made…"

But she never finished her thought, let alone her sentence, because then Sam's arms were wrapped around her and his lips were crushing hers in the most wonderful away. He could feel the wolf inside him churning.

Emily was clutching him, her fingers rubbing against his shaved neckline, her tongue moving with his in the way she knew made him crazy.

His hand crept to her chest, and for the first time she let him stay. Another sign! She was absolute perfection in his hands.

"I want you… so much," he wished against her lips.

"Sam, I…"

His lips were on her jaw, then her neck, tracing the scars that he hated (because he had made them in weakness) and loved (because they were on her). His fingers curled around the top button of her dress and unhooked it, and Emily didn't stop him. She let him undo the rest of the buttons on the front of her dress too. Her hands were beneath his shirt, her touches sending the most delicate shivers up his bare back.

Sam pulled back for just a moment. He marveled at the view of her he had never seen. She was breathing hard, her eyes closed, her head leaned far back. But then her eyes opened and Emily returned. Her skin blushed, both on her face and under her dress, and she recoiled her hands and pulled her dress closed.

"Sam." And her tone had a warning.

"Emily… why not?" he uttered, frustrated.

"Can't we wait… Sam, I don't want… _this…_ to happen up against a wall."

"Your room is right upstairs," Sam reminded her. Emily's blush deepened.

"Look, I…" She dropped her eyes, and Sam's heart dropped in his chest. Something really was wrong.

"Emily, what's wrong?"

She slipped under his arms, re-buttoning her dress.

"My mom got pregnant with me when she was seventeen. Then my father left, because he wasn't ready…"

"Emily, you think I would leave like your father? Jesus…"

"No, Sam, I know you would be there. I know you love me. How could I doubt it?"

"Then what?"

"I always promised my mother I'd wait until I had a ring on my finger." She paused, waiting for him to speak. She turned around to see him. She looked terrified for his response.

"Then let's go get married!" he said suddenly. "Emily, let's get married tonight. There has to be somewhere…"

"Sam…" And such a happy, warm grin had bubbled to the surface. She went to him and kissed him softly.

"I want this Emily," Sam said. "I want it more than I can bear. I want you, I want to have a family with you, grow old with you… I can't imagine life without you there."

"I want that too."

"When I have the money, we'll get married properly. But now, we know it will happen: why can't we do it now?"

"We know it will happen… just like you and Leah knew?" she said, her smile disappearing from her face. She struggled against him, to leave his arms, but he held her in.

"That was different, Emily," he swore.

"It isn't."

"You have to stop. This is _my_ fault: you can't blame yourself. We can't change it or do anything about it. Emily, look at me. We are perfect together. If I could go back, if I could be with Leah again, I wouldn't. I never want to leave you."

Her eyes found his again.

"I can't forget."

"Neither can I," he said. He held her to his chest, silently, and she marveled the intense heat against her face. Long moments passed before Sam could speak again.

This was what he could do for her.

"I can wait. When everything is settled in the tribe, we can get married."

"So. We're engaged," she said. She'd never smiled so much. Sam kissed her forehead.

"We are."

…

…

…

AN:

Sorry it took so long to update! Real quick explanations: Portugal was great, Breaking Dawn was not, and I've been really busy at work. Because of my disappointment with the book, I'm going to ignore it and go on with this story as I intended it to be. Normally I'm a stickler for the canon, but not this time. Chapter Eight will be up soon! Thank you, my beautiful readers and reviewers!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Bella Swan was a name Sam knew very well. She was Charlie Swan's daughter, and she had moved to Forks a little before Sam began to feel the symptoms. He remembered meeting her on First Beach all those months ago. She was a friend of Jacob's. He couldn't have realized then the impact she would have on his life: she was so small, so pale, so weak even, that she looked to be of very little consequence. She wasn't ugly, but she wasn't outstandingly beautiful either… but Sam had never been attracted non-Native girls.

But Bella had mentioned the Cullens. Even then, when Sam didn't know exactly who and what they were, he still knew that something wasn't right about them. They were too beautiful, too graceful, too… _perfect_ to be anything good. He'd told her they were unwelcome in La Push.

Now, as leader of the one force that made sure the Cullens stayed loyal to the truce, he wished she was smart enough to stay away from them. It was because of her that his entire life changed.

But Bella had not stayed away from them. Instead, she became drawn to them like moths to a light bulb. Billy was the first to know, as he was her father's best friend. Yes, Billy was the first to know when she and one of the Cullen boys were "dating."

Dating. Ha!

The Council wasn't sure if Bella was aware of what exactly the Cullens were, but they were certain that a little teenage romance was not what the Cullen boy had in mind for Bella Swan. She was proof that the Cullens were far too involved in human life in Forks. She was proof that they were looking to expand, which was definitely against their pact with the Quileutes. But until the girl was bitten or attacked in some way, the pack couldn't do a thing without breaking the treaty themselves.

So they waited.

A war was approaching between the Quileute gang and the Cullen's that could not be avoided. That was the pack's purpose, the reason Sam and the other two boys had changed: to fight the Cullens. Sam wished Jacob, as well as the other younger boys at the reservation, would quickly phase. Three werewolves, no matter how strong, would likely lose to seven vampires.

And then, suddenly, the Cullens were gone. Three months after the others, the three nomads, showed up. Were the two sudden disappearances connected in some way? What could the Cullens reason possibly be for leaving?

And why would they leave the girl they had so keenly seduced behind?

Bella, stupid, stupid girl, had let herself fall in love. She had let herself believe that the Cullen boy loved her too. Sam had seen the Cullen's at a distance, and his mother had brought him to see Carlisle Cullen once years ago for an appointment before the tribe began boycotting his hospital. He was very aware of how beautiful they all were, how alluring they seemed. So what else would she do but try to run after them?

Damn bloodsuckers. They were hard to track and harder to understand. The girl had been completely and totally captured by them, and without their presence she'd all but lost her mind.

The search party met at Billy's house, then moved down to the Swan residence. Charlie was in a state of panic. Billy told him to wait at home while the rest of the search party readied themselves with radios and flashlights. Sam and his boys didn't wait for the rest to get organized. He knew that the other men were just a front: Sam and his boys were the real search party.

"They didn't bring any flashlights," Sam heard Jacob inform his father as they left the other members of the party inside. "How are they supposed to find her without any flashlights?"

Sam, Paul, and Jared expanded from the Swan's house in three paths, like a pie cut into three equal halves. They would cover more woods that way. The others' progress ran through Sam's head like his own thoughts as they traveled through the woods.

_I lost her scent… I think she's closer to you, Paul._

_She isn't here… Jared, turn back around. You're going too fast: she couldn't be out that far. She's only human._

_Sam, I think I smell her… No, it was the wind, coming from your direction…Watch out._

Sam found her first, at the foot of a tree at the edge of a tiny clearing. Bella was curled up on herself; the back of her shirt was covered in leaves, dirt, and pine needles. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a jacket he had strapped to his ankle and slowly eased his way toward her. She might be angry when she saw him. He didn't know what kind of state she would be in.

But she was dead to the world. Not lifeless, but viciously close to comatose. Her eyes were open, but they did not see him. Her blood was pumping, but its warmth did not spread across her icy skin. She was limp when he scooped her up. She did not try to hold on, or roll into his chest when he began walking back. She just lay there, open-eyed and cold. What had they done to her?

Sam met his boys in Charlie's front yard, and they all brought her in. Charlie called the search off using one of the radios that crackled unintelligibly every few seconds. Charlie wanted to give Sam and his boys something, anything in gratitude, but Sam refused. He didn't think he'd done anything important. Bella was still lost.

…

Months went by. There was no news about the vampires. Bella was going back to school, but Charlie was just as worried as ever. Jacob, who had been so interested in her, became withdrawn. He began spending more and more time in his garage, Billy reported. His friends Quil and Embry stopped by often, but Jacob just wasn't the same.

Then, Bella was coming to La Push. All the time, she was coming, to see Jacob. The abandoned vampire girl finds solace in the resiliently un-werewolf boy. Maybe this was a sign. Maybe Jacob would never change. Maybe Sam, Jared, and Paul would gradually lose their power. Maybe the pack wasn't needed anymore. Maybe the danger was over, because the Cullen's were, forever, gone.

But then, so strangely, Embry changed.

Embry, the Makah boy. Not Quileute. Not a descendant of Taha Aki.

Or so they thought.

Embry had never heard the legends. He did not know who to come to or how to react. He did not think to go to Billy, or the Clearwater's, or Sam. The pack had found him in the woods, unconscious, naked, and bleeding. It took a while for him to come around, and he was so angry. He told them they were sick, twisted liars. He told them he despised their cult, told them their legends were ridiculous. He stalked out of Emily's house and didn't return for a week or more, when he realized he couldn't continue alone.

And suddenly it made sense, why his mother had come to live in La Push. His father had been Quileute, a direct descendant. She'd followed him here, was rejected, but stayed when she found out she was pregnant. Sam had only met Embry's mother once or twice, but she seemed very introverted. She was one of those women that looked off into the distance when there was nothing there, one who closed the door to her bedroom so her children couldn't hear her crying. He wondered if she fancied that her long-lost lover would return to her. But who was that long-lost over? There were only three possibilities: Quil Aterea Sr., Billy Black, or Sam's father Joshua. And none of these three men were single at the time of Embry's conception.

Sam didn't like to think about his father. The man had left his mother when Sam was just old enough to remember. He must have been six as he watched the man slosh down to his car. He had a bottle in his hand. Maybe that was why Sam never touched alcohol in his life.

"See ya, kid." And he'd laughed as he got into the car, and given his son a mock-salute as he drove away. No "Look after for your mother," or "I'll see you soon," or "It isn't you, son. I still love you." Just a salute and a laugh, over the squealing of thin tires.

Sam hadn't liked his father, not even then. He had watched the car go without chasing it down the street or any sort of tears. His father had a habit for leaving for weeks at a time, but always coming home with a new bottle and a new black eye for his wife and son. But this time felt different, like Sam would never see the back of that truck ever again. And he never did.

When Sam returned to the house, his mother was crying, collapsed on the floor, and a bruise was darkening around her left eye. She'd pulled him close and sobbed until the shoulder of his t-shirt was wet. But she was happier after that.

The time-line made sense. And both Old Quil and Billy were good men. It just made more sense that Sam's drunk, violent, no-good father would be the one. If Jacob or Quil did change, Sam would make sure they convicted Joshua Uley too.

Every time Sam looked at Embry, the kid looked more and more familiar. But he refused to think of the word "step-brother."

The pack didn't talk about it. Embry and Sam eased into a polite friendship. They all persuaded themselves that it didn't matter: they were all brothers now, in a way. But pack life didn't seem as easy as it once seemed.

…

"Chuck Norris doesn't need to turn into a wolf to kill vampires: he just tears them apart with his fists!"

The laughter mellowed out into a sublime contentment among the rest of the pack

"Paul, that one was super gay."

"At least I don't refer to things as 'super,' Embry."

"No cursing," Emily threw out as she watched Embry's lips pull back for his retort.

"F… forget you." Embry slumped back into his seat.

Emily tried to hide her smile from Embry, whose face should have shown a blush if it were any paler. Sam, whose arm was wrapped around her shoulders, seemed to vibrate with silent laughter as he watched the three boys trade Chuck Norris jokes around the dinner table.

"No making ones up, because they suck," Jared said with a careful, amused grin.

"You suck."

"Good one, Paul."

"And you say I'm the gay one. You're the one that's always talking about sucking," Embry shot back.

"Can't you have one conversation where you don't insult each other?" Emily asked with a smirk. She knew the answer.

"No!" the werewolves all said in unison.

"I have one!" Emily said. "Chuck Norris can divide by zero."

"I don't get it," Paul said.

"Emily, Paul's actually in fifth grade. You can't get that advanced with him."

"Shut up, Embry."

"What time is it?" Jared asked, stifling a yawn. The boys had just finished their night patrol, and had stopped by Emily's before going back home.

"Two in the morning," Sam said, gesturing to the red digits on Emily's oven.

"Well, shit," Paul said. Emily let that one slide.

"No kidding," Embry added.

"Go ahead home. Jared, you get back out there. Paul and Embry will relieve you for morning watch," Sam said as they got up. The chairs scratching the linoleum seemed so loud at this time of night.

"With Paul? Again?" Embry muttered.

"What's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing, Paul."

"That's not what I heard…"

But their newest argument disappeared out the front door, and was silenced for good as the door clicked shut.

At their departure, Emily finally leaned against Sam.

"I thought they'd never leave," she whispered, just in case any of them were still close enough to hear. Sam wrapped his arms around her and held her back tightly to his chest, pressing his face into her hair and kissing her right below her left ear. She closed her eyes and let herself be drawn in to his obscene warmth and the gentle thudding of his heartbeat. It was like a lullaby all her own.

"I love you, despite your awful taste in Norris jokes," he said. Emily smiled: she was too tired to retort.

She didn't notice when he picked her up and carried her upstairs. She only noticed the next morning, when she woke up wrapped up in him. His bare chest was fiercely hot against her cheek. She looked up at his face, and felt the disappointment she always felt when she watched him sleep. He was so calm during the day, so tranquil and seemingly satisfied. But during his sleep, his brow was twisted in emotion, whether it was confusion, anger, or sadness. His lips were mutated into a grimace. What was he seeing? Would she ever know?

Did she want to?

She strained to kiss him, but couldn't reach without untwisting her arms around him. And why would she want to do that? So she kissed his collarbone instead, and pressed her face closer to his chest, and hoped he could feel her, wherever he was.

….

Billy was the first to notice. He'd called Sam to come over right away. The previous night, Jacob had been out with Bella. When he'd returned, he had staggered into the house, clothes torn to shreds, temperature blaring. His car was not in the driveway. He didn't remember how he'd gotten back. He didn't remember anything past dropping the girl off. Bill had asked him how the night had gone, and Jacob began shaking so fiercely… He'd almost attacked Billy then.

The next day, Sam responded to the call. Jacob hadn't left his room. He was exhausted, and refused to eat, Billy said. Sam took in the information quickly before scaling the steps and knocking on the door.

"Jacob?"

There was no answer.

Sam opened the door anyway.

The boy's room was tiny, the bed taking up most of the space. A few old posters of cars and engines peeled away on the walls. There were striped, blue, sun-bleached curtains that were pulled shut in front of the window. Jacob's bed was barely that: just a single sheet covered the mattress. The blanket had been kicked to the floor. The pillow lay abandoned on the ground as well. The light was muted, but Jacob's eyes were still half-closed in pain. He was curled in on himself, whispering on the phone. He twisted to watch Sam come in.

"I've got to go," he said. His neck was weak, and his forehead rested on his mattress. Jacob's eyes narrowed at him. Sam waited patiently.

"Wait for me to call," Jacob said to the person on the other line. He looked at Sam, and for a moment the anger was gone. The next word came out like a plea. _Leave me alone. Don't let me become one of you._

His eyes darted back to the phone jack.

"_Bella_."

He hung up.

"You don't look very good," Sam said as Jacob pushed the phone away.

"Go away, Sam," he said with a defeated sigh.

The drawn curtains. The lack of appetite. His senses were heightening.

"I'm here to help you, to get you better. Do you remember anything from last night?"

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID _LEAVE ME ALONE_!"

Increased anger. Another symptom.

Check. Check. Check.

"Well, if it happens again, you can find me at Emily Young's house."

He looked down and saw the boy's hands tighten into fists, shaking.

"GET OUT!" Jacob screamed, springing up from the bed. As soon as he did, his hands flew to his forehead. He moaned in pain, flopping back down onto the twisted sheets.

"That's where I'll be." And Sam shut the door.

Sam waited the rest of the day, but Jacob never showed up at Emily's. While Sam was with his pack, he never felt the mild pop of a new mind entering his own (how he discovered Jared and Paul), nor did they find him out in the woods. The light of the morning faded into night and still nothing. He was anxious. He had been so sure… Jacob had been so angry…

Sam returned to Emily's house but couldn't stop moving. He was pacing in the kitchen, moving up and down the stairs trying to find something that he could not remember. Emily finally managed to get him to sit beside her on the couch. The runs with his pack, Embry's training, and the worry all culminated into exhaustion. Emily was reading… again. It began to rain, and with the weather's constant patter on the roof, Emily's absent-minded fingers rolling over his ever-growing hair, and the exhaustion of the day summoned him to sleep.

Then there was a crash.

Sam woke up briefly. Emily was shivering beneath him.

"What's wrong?" He reached behind him and touched her arm.

"Nothing. I'm fine," she lied, smiling faintly as she stared through a window. A crack of thunder.

It wasn't Jacob. Just a thunderstorm.

Emily hated thunderstorms.

He took her into his arms and lay with her, pulling her over him on the couch. Another crash of lightening. He chuckled when she hide her face in his chest.

"Of all the things in life to be afraid of…." he grinned.

But then there was another crash, splintering, and loud cracking. Their heads snapped to the front of the house. The trunk of the fated tree seemed to screech in agony as it bent. The cracking stopped, only to be replaced by an earth-shaking boom moments later as the tree landed. It had fallen right in Emily's front yard.

"Was that lightening?"

"I'll be right back," Sam said, moving Emily onto the couch and moving toward the door. She would not stay behind, and held onto his hand. They moved slowly, carefully to the front door. Sam pushed it open.

Outside, a giant tree lay across the front path, its base splintered violently, as if it had exploded. There was no burnt marks, no fire. This wasn't the work of any lightning. And then he saw the human mass at its upturned roots.

"Emily, get some blankets."

Sam rushed out into the pouring rain. It was in his eyes, he couldn't see very well, but he knew whom that had to be, curled up around the raised roots.

"Jacob! Can you hear me, Jacob?"

But the storm raged above him, and the boy was unconscious. His shoulder looked torn up, but the rain was helping it mend itself. Jacob was almost as tall as Sam, and close to his weight, but Sam managed to swing him over his shoulder and get back into Emily's house.

Sam carried the unconscious boy into the living room and laid him on the couch, which Emily had already covered with blankets. Emily began trailing a towel over Jacob to dry him. His clothes were torn. Emily watched, spellbound, as Jacob's skin seemed to weave itself back together over his shoulder. Her hands hovered over Jacob as she watched it, unsure just what she should do.

"He's healing. That's all it is."

Emily nodded, but couldn't tear her eyes from the sight.

Jacob didn't wake, and Sam persuaded Emily not to wake him. There was another bolt of lightening, so close that the windows rang with the sound. Emily dropped her towel and covered her ears.

Jacob would be fine until the next morning.

"Everything will be alright," Sam whispered, taking her hand away. He looked at Emily, then at Jacob, then at his reflection in the window. He wondered exactly whom he was saying that to. Another thunderclap. Her grip was so tight as he pulled her upstairs.

…

"Good morning, Jacob," Emily greeted slowly. "Are you hungry?"

He seemed to fall into a chair rather than sit.

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll make you a plate," she said with a smile. She'd never been alone with any of the pack, right in the beginning. Except for Sam, but that didn't give her many high hopes.

"Thanks."

She could feel his eyes on her back as she floated around the kitchen. When she finally set the meal in front of him, Jacob looked more disgusted than hungry. She had to remind herself that his senses were out of control: there was nothing wrong with her cooking.

"Sam's out with the others… They'll be back soon."

"So I'm one of them now. One of their cult."

The bitterness in his voice made her cringe.

"Don't be like that, Jacob. They'll explain things to you. You'll understand then…"

"I didn't want anything to do with this," he whispered. She placed a hand on his shoulder. For the first time, he met her eyes instead of her scars.

"None of them did. Not even Sam."

Jacob's puppy-dog eyes floated back down to the food on the table. He slowly picked up a fork. His head turned at the sound of laughter outside.

"They're here," Emily informed him.

The backdoor suddenly swung open. Sam came in gingerly.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his lips on her hair.

"As far as I know." Her expression didn't seem very hopeful. He kissed her forehead, to alleviate the wrinkles of worry.

"Where is he?" Paul called as he crossed inside. He grinned when he saw Jacob sitting at the table.

"Welcome, Jacob," Jared smiled. But Jacob's eyes were on Embry. The others fell silent as the two old friends, new enemies, and sudden brothers looked at each other for the first time. Finally Embry spoke.

"Its good to have you in the know."

"I'm not so sure about that," Jacob said as Embry sat beside him.

"Don't worry about it. Sam'll take care of you, just like he did for all of us."

Emily looked up at Sam, their fearless, doubtless, strong alpha. Despite theirnot aging, he looked so much older, so much more tired then the rest of them. She wondered how much longer he'd be able to play leader.

…

Despite the initial awkwardness, the breakfast erupted into the usual insult-infested conversation over the huge piles of food Emily had prepared. Jacob must have remembered what happened the previous night, but if he had any questions about what exactly what took place and what he was, they were inadvertently answered over the breakfast table. It always amazed Emily how easily and proudly they called themselves 'werewolves.'

When the meal was over, Sam pulled Jacob aside and gave him his first lesson: the necessity of the haircut. Emily had pulled out the scissors and electric razor already. The haircut after the first breakfast was already an instituted tradition.

"We'll wait for you outside." And the pack poured out through the back door into the woods.

"Sit right down, Jacob. It won't take very long."

She tied a kitchen towel around his bare neck and touched his long hair. He had such beautiful hair. It ran all the way down to the middle of his back, pin-straight and glossy.

"I'm a little jealous of your hair, Jacob," Emily tried to joke as she wrapped his hair into a ponytail.

"Okay," was his only response.

Emily cut the long ponytail off with her over-sized shears and laid it down on the table. At least that beautiful hair wouldn't go to waste. Jacob glanced over at the ponytail. She wasn't sure how he would respond. But he just swung his face back down. Despite his coldness, Emily could tell. This was really hard for him.

She quickly got to work, cutting the rest of the hair until it was short enough to buzz right off. The start of the razor made Jacob jump a little, but otherwise the cut went without incident.

"You're all done," she announced, switching the razor off and laying it on the table near the severed ponytail. She untied the towel around his neck, and he stood, wiping the short strands of cut hair off his bare chest. They fluttered down to the floor.

"They're right outside." Almost on cue, a shout erupted from outside.

Jacob only nodded. Emily caught his arm.

"It will get better, Jacob."

He looked into her eyes, then looked pointedly at her scars.

"If you say so."

As he pulled the back door opened, he noticed his reflection in a pane of glass. His hand slowly traveled up to his bare scalp and ran from his forehead to the back of his head. Then he was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"What's she doing here?" Paul asked as the werewolves approached the Black residence. An old, red truck stood waiting in front, the shape and shadow of a teenage girl sitting in the front seat.

"I don't know. I told her not to come."

"Well, handle it," Sam said. Jacob detoured from the group, approaching the truck. After a moment, the window rolled down. Bella's profile came into view: her smile quickly disappeared as she took in the new Jacob. He had grown quickly, and his close haircut seemed to make his neck and shoulders seem larger.

"This isn't good," Embry muttered.

"Give him a moment. Jacob will do what is right," Sam said, holding Paul back with one hand. Jacob suddenly tore his eyes from the girl in the truck to them.

"He's fine," Sam muttered in Quileute. He stepped forward, and the pack followed. Though they were not in wolf form, he felt as if he could still speak to Jacob. Jacob responded with a tired gaze, one that said, "I know. I know. I know."

The pack poured into Billy's house. Sam took his station at the front window, just in case something happened.

"She's getting out," Embry said as her door clicked open. Jacob looked uneasy as they walked together to the woods.

"Why did you let Bella stay?" Sam asked Billy as he wheeled out of the kitchen.

"What was I supposed to do? Drive her home myself? She's called so many times that I hardly pick up the phone anymore, in case its her."

Sam was growing uneasy. Every moment Jacob and Bella remained hidden, the memories of that night, the blood, the rage, and the bleak whiteness of that hospital seemed to intensify. The other boys looked grave as they seated themselves around the living room on lumpy sofas and chairs.

"You think he's going to be able to do it?" Embry asked.

"No," Paul scoffed.

"This is taking too long."

But just then, Jacob came out from behind the trees. Bella was right behind him, tears running down her cheeks. Sam was the only one who managed to watch then: it was too awkward for the others. He could dimly hear the cries that came from her mouth as she called out to him. Jacob was shaking, but Sam knew he was under control. Nothing would happen tonight.

Suddenly Jacob ran to the front steps, and the door smashed open.

"Jacob, you okay?" Jared asked. Jacob didn't so much look at the others. He held up an open hand, then continued up the stairs to his room.

"Let him go," Sam said as Embry stood and moved toward the staircase. His eyes drifted back to the window, where Bella stood in the drizzle, those eyes so alive with hurt that Sam could feel it. He suddenly, urgently, wanted Emily with him.

"She's still outside," Sam said. Billy huffed and rolled to the door.

"Charlie just called, Bella. I told him you were on your way home." She finally moved at the sound of his voice, got into her truck, and drove away down the road.

"Where's the phone? I need to call Charlie," Billy said, closing the door. When he was finished, Sam called Emily. She was there in fifteen minutes, and Sam was waiting to engulf her in his arms when she arrived.

…

"It isn't fair!" Jacob shouted.

"Who said any of this was fair, Jacob? Please, I'd really love to know who gave you that impression."

"Sam, I'm not talking about me. It's not fair to Bella. I have to tell her. She's finally living again!"

Sam and Jacob sat across from each other, the dinner Billy prepared and Emily had saved lay forgotten in front of them. Jared, Paul, and Embry glanced randomly up at the two as they shoveled food into their mouths. Emily sat with her hands in her lap, her eyes in the same place. Billy sat at the head of the table, his arms crossed, his eyes darting from his son to Sam.

"She can't know. You have to stop seeing her until you are stronger."

"Sam, she can't loose me now. She'll regress back to what she was two months ago. She'll stop eating again!"

"Everyone must make sacrifices for the tribe, Jacob."

"Bella isn't part of the tribe, Sam!"

"Emily wasn't either!" Sam all but yelled, his fist coming down on the wooden table. Emily's hand curled around his clenched fist.

"Please," Emily whispered, her eyes down on her plate. Sam couldn't tell if she meant, 'Please, don't fight,' or 'Please, don't involve me in this.' Maybe neither. Maybe both.

Jacob opened his mouth to retort but couldn't.

"Jacob, you can have the night off tonight."

"Sam, come on."

"It'll be me and Jared."

"Sam…"

"I'll see you in the morning."

"Sam, its not…" Emily tried.

With one last look, Sam stood from the table and brought his plate to the sink. His eyes caught Emily's for a moment. Then he was gone.

"I'm sorry, Emily," Jacob said.

"He's sorry too," Emily whispered. "He's waiting for me out there. I should get my coat."

"Be careful," Billy said as she stood. Emily smiled grimly, as if it were a joke.

…

The next morning, Emily was popping muffins out of a pan. She heard them laughing outside long before her door opened. She loved these mornings when they would get together, though they literally cleaned out her kitchen.

"You guys hungry?" she asked with a smile. And then she saw her.

She stood out completely, her pale skin and the dark circles under her eyes begging your attention and focus. She looked like she had risen from the dead. Just like what Sam had described. The girl looked up at her, a forced smile on her face. That smile disappeared when she saw Emily and her scars.

She was rarely with anyone but Sam and the pack, so she rarely received the shocked and disgusted stares anymore. Bella averted her eyes quickly, but her stare peeved Emily.

"Oh, who's this?" she asked, though she knew who it had to be.

"Bella Swan," Jared said. "Who else?"

Bella was struggling to look away from her scars.

"Leave it to Jacob to find a way around," Emily said, though her face betrayed no sign of a joke. "So, you're the vampire girl?"

Bella started in her seat. "Yes. Are you the wolf girl?" she asked directly. The wolves' faces swung toward their den mother. One unhappy word from Emily's mouth, and Bella was no longer a friend.

But her brazenness was rewarded with a laugh from Emily, and the atmosphere immediately warmed.

"I guess I am," she considered. The moment passed. She turned to Jared. "Where's Sam?"

"Bella, er, surprised Paul this morning."

"Ah, Paul. Do you think they'll be long? I was just about to start eggs."

"Don't worry," Embry quipped, "If they're late, we won't let anything go to waste."

Emily turned back toward the kitchen with a chuckle. "No doubt. Bella, are you hungry? Go ahead and help yourself to a muffin."

She heard the girl mutter thanks and remove one from the plate as Embry took his third.

"Save some for your brothers," she said, smacking him with a wooden spoon.

"Pig," Jared threw out.

Emily began the eggs, listening to their banter in the background and hoping Sam would get back soon. She didn't know if Sam had told them what it meant to be imprinted, but she found that the longer they were together, the more difficult it was to be apart.

But then, suddenly, her back door opened and there he was.

"Emily," he said. The way he said her name made her shiver. And in one stride he was there, holding her face, kissing her scars reverently before her lips. He pulled away, and she finally heard the usual protesting of the gang.

"Hey, none of that! I'm eating!" Jared called out.

"Then shut up and eat," Sam said, turning back to her and blessing her with another kiss. But then Jacob and Paul came in, shoving them out of the way as they mock-fought each other to the table. Emily pulled away, meeting Sam's eyes.

"I'm almost finished. Sit," she whispered.

"Later," he whispered, kissing her cheek. She leaned into him as she scraped the eggs around the pan, and he held onto the small of her back, standing in silence. Emily would never know why he loved merely watching her, but she would never complain.

"What happened with Paul and Jacob?" she asked.

"You know Paul. He got worked up over the Swan girl knowing about us. Jacob was calming him down the only way we know, is all. They're fine." He looked back at the gang at the table.

"Hey guys," he called, and they immediately turned, "Jacob has information for us."

Emily's heart dropped as they began their vampire talk. She hated hearing their plans for tracking down the "bloodsuckers." No matter how many times she saw their wounds heal in a moment or how many times Sam would vow that they would be fine, she would feel her stomach drop. If any of them died… she didn't know what she would do.

"Paul, Jared, and Embry will take the outer perimeter, and Jacob and I will take the inner. We'll collapse in when we've got her trapped."

Emily stopped, glancing up at Sam. He always put himself in the smaller grouping or the most dangerous position.

"Sam," she whispered, and his arm tighten around her. At least he had paired himself with Jacob: they must have reconciled earlier that morning.

"Wait," he said. He looked at Emily, then back to Bella. "That's what Jacob thinks is best, but you need to decide for yourself. You should weigh the risks of both options very seriously. You saw this morning how easily things get dangerous here, how quickly they get out of hand. If you choose to stay with us, I can't make any guarantees about your safety."

"I won't hurt her," Jacob said. Sam stiffened.

"If there was somewhere else you felt safe…" Sam asked of Bella.

Emily heard her silence, knew she was thinking about her family.

"I don't want to lead Victoria anywhere else," she finally whispered.

Sam accepted the idea with a nod. "That's true. It's better to have her here, where we can end this."

"You'll be careful, right?" Emily heard Bella ask Jacob, and the rest of the boys laughed. And she understood the vampire girl completely, and wanted to reassure her that she wasn't alone. But it wasn't time for that. She'd tell Bella some other time. She shook her head and noticed the eggs were finished.

"Food's ready," she announced, ending the laughter. Sam and the others gathered around the table, and she brought the eggs to the table. She watched them, including Bella, and though she smiled at her family, she could still feel the familiar drop in her stomach.

…

"Oh. Hello, Bella," Emily said to the girl standing on her doorstep.

"Hi. Sorry to just pop up, but it's just that I don't think I could take too much more of First Beach." Bella had a sincere, if depressed, look about her face. Despite first impressions, Emily had a certain fondness for her. It probably had to do with Emily's even stronger fondness for Jacob.

"Oh sure! Come in! Well, if you want to. There isn't much to do here. I was just cleaning around the house. The boys make such a mess when they are here."

Emily smiled. Yes, she did like Bella, even though she caught her multiple times staring at her scars.

"That's okay. Just, human company would be nice."

Bella followed Emily into the kitchen.

"Well sure. Here, I was just in the kitchen when you rang. You can sit at the table. You want anything? A drink or…"

"No, I'm fine."

"Oh. Well, okay." Bella was so very thin.

Emily resumed cleaning the counters and cabinets.

"So… You like Forks? I heard that you used to live farther south…"

"Yeah. Arizona. My mom lives in Jacksonville now, though."

"Well, that's nice."

Emily had never been very much of an extrovert, and she was a little wary of what Bella would want to talk about. She'd also never traveled farther than Seattle.

There was a pause for a moment. "Does Sam worry you a lot?" Bella asked. Emily stopped and turned toward her.

"Worry me?"

"Yes. Because Jacob…. He says that they are strong and I've seen them… but I can't help worrying. Vampires are so… powerful."

"You would know best, Bella."

Emily immediately regretted that statement. The girl seemed to deflate on the spot. She quickly resumed.

"I haven't seen the werewolves in action. I haven't seen any of them but Sam in werewolf form, so you have me beat. I'd rather picture them human, normal. I think it makes things easier in some ways, but thinking of them as human doesn't make the worry any less. Ever since I found out what Sam was, I've been worried about him. I worry about the pack. I worry about anyone that gets in there way. You were really lucky not to be hurt, that day Paul changed right in front of you."

"Oh, great." Bella smiled a deprecating grin.

"You certainly are lucky," Emily said.

"Some people would say the exact opposite," Bella muttered. They looked at each other for a moment before Emily turned back to the counter.

"So my turn for a question. How did you and Jacob meet?"

The conversation was easy from then on. Bella even volunteered to help Emily with some of the chores as they spoke, drying the dishes as Emily washed and folding blankets in the tiny living room. Emily liked having someone around, and especially liked that the someone was a girl. Emily didn't know too many people in La Push. With her one friend Leah refusing to speak or see her, Emily didn't get much girl time anymore. Bella and her had something in common that no other two girls had in the entire world. They were both left alone, "for their own good," while their supernatural boys went out.

Bella had been there for three hours before the subtle double-knock sounded on the door. Emily looked toward the door. She knew who it was before he let himself in.

"Who's that?" Bella asked.

"Sam."

He let himself in, as he always did. She stood and went to him at the door. She loved how he kissed her.

"We have a visitor," she said, pulling away. Sam settled into his leader-of-the-pack stance. Emily thought his whole separate character was funny.

"Oh. Hello, Bella."

"Hi," she uttered. She glanced at his arms around Emily's waist, then back to his face.

Sam glanced at Emily. She shot him a look, and he tried to be accommodating.

"Jacob's still out there. I was just checking in on Emily."

"Oh. Okay."

"When will he be back?" Emily pressed. Bella leaned forward, as if she needed that particular answer.

"I think his shift ends late. But he was talking about running over to First Beach…."

"Oh. Well, I should go."

"No, please stay, Bella," Emily offered.

"Jacob might be looking for me."

For a moment, Emily caught the pain in her eyes as she glanced at their stance once more. But… Emily thought all that was gone now. Weren't she and Jacob… together?

"Okay, well, stop by anytime, Bella," Emily said, hugging her visitor.

"Thanks. I'll see you later."

And she was gone.

"Thanks for frightening off my only friend, Mr. Pack Leader," she joked.

"Only friend?" Sam smiled, pulling her closer. "What do you need friends for?"

"Is your little slave supposed to stay home all day and clean until you come back to grace me with your presence?" she said, her breath catching as his lips just missed hers and skimmed down her throat.

"Yes. He wants you all to himself," he said.

…

…

…

A/N: Sorry its been so long! I just moved in at Brown, and it's been a pretty intense first week at college! On a side note, I can't believe that I'm on Chapter Nine this far into the story… this was supposed to be only ten chapters long! But I hope you enjoy, and please review! I will update as soon as I can! Another sentence ending in an exclamation point!

Love, musicsetsmefree1


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Maybe the Cullens weren't the reason the pack began."

"What are you talking about, Sam?" Old Quil asked. The others seemed to lean forward in their seats.

"They are long gone wherever they are. Why, if they were the reason, would two boys have joined the pack in the last month if they were the reason? Besides, we found another in the woods last month."

"Another?"

"Yes. It was before Bella… discovered us. She was out in the woods, and he tried to attack her. Or, at least, he was about to. We chased him off before he was able to make a move."

Even as he said it, he relived the memory of it. His senses had exploded as each werewolf felt the exact same surge of adrenaline, their claws catching at the vampire's stone-like skin and it ripping open, the blast of the blood-sucker's scent as parts of his body flew in opposite directions… They had executed him quickly and easily.

They had performed their purpose quickly and easily.

And it had been disturbingly satisfying.

"And now…?"

Sam returned to the room. He and the other men sat together around a plastic table whose surface was peeling around the places where knives had gone through the paper and plastic tablecloths during reservation events. The others had faces lined with wrinkles, long hair tied back in shades of black, grey, and white. Sam, with his shaved scalp, huge stature, and youth, stuck out rather intensely.

"He was taken care of."

"Good," Billy Black said, nodding as he sat back in his chair.

"My point is that there are other vampires out there. Do you remember back when Bella Swan disappeared, when she was in Arizona? She had been chased there by a tracker vampire. Now, his mate is stalking her. I believe the one we exterminated was helping her but was distracted."

"His mate? Who has been giving you this information?"

"Jacob. Who received it from Bella herself."

"Can we trust her? Her allegiances are with the vampires, not with us."

"Her allegiances are with the Cullens. Not with these three. She can be trusted," Sam said urgently.

The Council meetings hadn't been much before the pack came into existence. The old men sat around for an hour or two huffing and puffing about the resort the tribe ran in La Push for tourists and their small marina. Then there were the tribe meetings, dinners, and breakfasts they needed to plan to ask others to plan, and the spouting on Indian social affairs and problems of which they did not like to be reminded. But the resort needing more funds for paper towels and the pancake supper next Saturday seemed unimportant when rogue vampires were running in and around Seattle.

"Well, it's been two hours. Let's meet next week for an update, Sam?"

"Same place, same time?"

"Yes."

Billy stood, and the others followed his example. They nodded to each other, and quit the table. As they streamed together to the small door, Sam felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Harry Clearwater.

"Hello, Sam," he said, clenching on the younger man's shoulder before dropping his hand.

"Hello, Mr. Clearwater."

"You look scared," he laughed.

Sam grinned.

"I just wanted to ask how Emily was," Mr. Clearwater asked.

"She's good."

"You making her happy?"

Sam blanched for a second. "I hope so, sir."

"As long as one of them is happy," he said. He gave Sam a curt smile and a pat on the shoulder before passing in front of him and leaving the room alone.

…

Since the appearance of the executed vampire, Sam and his pack had been running the rounds far more frequently. The raging murders in Seattle bore all the signs of vampire attacks, and they had to be prepared if that vampire, or vampires, grew bored I the city and came toward Forks and La Push. When Bella was on the rez, they ran harder.

Bella didn't return to Emily's house, and Emily began to feel more and more lonely. Sam was there, yes, but only for hours at a time. He would stay long enough for her to fall asleep, then leave. She didn't blame him: he _had_ to leave. But that didn't make the event of waking up alone in a cold bed any less painful.

If she read one more book, she'd go insane. She needed someone to be there, or someone who needed her there. She needed a friend.

She went to visit Leah.

Leah and Emily hadn't spoken in months, hadn't seen each other since Emily moved into Sam's old home. It had taken a lot of effort from both of them to avoid each other on the tiny reservation.

Therefore, Leah didn't look too happy when Emily showed up at her front door.

"Hello, Leah."

Leah's angry eyes slide down to the plate in Emily's hands.

"You brought me cookies." Her voice was dead. Emily's face grew hot.

"I… I thought I should bring something."

"What do you want?"

"Can I just talk to you?" Emily asked. Her eyes flickered into the house.

"We can talk here."

"Oh."

She hadn't thought it was going to be easy. But she hadn't pictured the conversation out on the front porch either.

"I miss you, Leah," Emily finally said. Leah was silent.

"I know you hate me, and with good reason, but perhaps… maybe we could start over? Be friends again?"

"Friends."

"Yes."

Leah stepped out of her house and closed the door behind her.

"Maybe I should recount the last few months of my life for you," Leah said with a sarcastic grin.

"Leah, I…"

"My boyfriend left me for my best friend. I found out there are giant fucking wolves running around my reservation at night. My father is this close to dying of a heart attack. I couldn't go to the community college because his medical bills are too high. My brother is terrified out of his mind of Sam and his boys and refuses to go anywhere alone. He lost Jacob, his idol, to the gang. My mom is in a complete state of panic. You really did this to me at the best time, Emily." Leah crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry," Emily said, her eyes falling to the floor. Her arms felt so heavy, holding up those stupid cookies.

"And now you just want to be friends again."

"Please, if we could just try…"

"Life with Sam isn't as wonderful as you thought it would be, is it?" Leah asked.

"I never thought it was going to be… Leah, I just never thought I'd be so… alone all the time. He's with the pack every day, all the time. I barely seem him most days. And the murders in Seattle…"

"They are vampires?"

"Yes. Leah, I'm so scared for Sam. For the pack. For everyone. They're talking about a war and… if I lose them I…"

Emily had never spoken about these things. Sam had far too much on his mind without being burdened by her. But she was not prepared for the tears.

"Sam will do everything he can to come back to you. He might not succeed, but he'll try," Leah whispered.

"Thank you. It means more than you know." Emily wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand.

"Your welcome, I guess. Are you finished?"

"Wait. Leah, I wanted you to be the first outside the pack to know that… well, Sam and I are engaged."

Leah grimaced.

"Oh."

"I wanted to ask you… Would you be my Maid Of Honor?"

Leah stood motionless for a long time, her gaze boring into Emily. Finally, she answered.

"Yes."

"So, we are okay then?" Emily asked, a smile fighting its way onto her face. But Leah did not smile.

"No, Emily. I will be your Maid Of Honor because I am your cousin and your only choice. But I won't ever be your friend, your sister again. I would say 'I'm sorry,' here, but I'm not. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for him."

"Leah!" Emily desperately yelled. It was lost in the slamming door.

…

Emily never told Sam about going to Leah. He was becoming more and more wrapped up in the pack and she didn't think that he should be concerned with things like that. Though it made her feel guilty somehow, as if he should know. He was always tired, always running with the pack every night. It wasn't important, not yet.

The female vampire had been dancing around the borders more and more since Bella began staying in the reservation, but the pack hadn't managed to catch her yet. Sam and Jared both recognized her as the female vampire of the trio who had run through three months before the Cullens disappeared. How could they forget that blood-red hair? They hadn't known about her motives. They certainly wouldn't have guessed that Bella was the goal.

Emily knew she had a rather strange life, living with these supernatural, adolescent beasts all day. She couldn't imagine running for her life every day, fearing for her life, ripped between two worlds.

To think: she was alone in the woods. With a vampire, who was about to attack her. Thank God Sam and the pack had shown up.

They killed him. Tore him apart. Sam hadn't told her, because he thought she would be upset. She heard it at the dinner table. She wasn't as upset as she should have been.

This life seemed far too normal to her now. Emily used to feel sick seeing dead animals on the side of the road. Now she listened to Jacob, Paul, Embry, and Jared rave about ripping apart the vampire's stone skin and she thought:

"Good."

"Good, we are safer now."

"Good, one less vampire toward a normal life."

Emily used to think that everyone deserved a second chance. Everyone deserved life, no matter what they did. It was a basic human right, wasn't it? But what if that person wanted to kill everyone you knew? What if that person enjoyed it? She had never understood people who wished for the death penalty, but now she did. It was better for every person in the world that these vampires were dead. And that was the stone cold truth.

…

Then suddenly, Harry Clearwater was dead.

Emily was silent at the other end of the phone.

"What?"

"Your uncle… he had a heart attack this afternoon…" Her aunt's voice was quiet, too hesitant for only grief. But Emily didn't notice.

"The funeral will be on the 18th. I just wanted you to know. I hope… I hope to see you there?"

"Of course, Auntie Sue," she whispered.

"Bring Sam. He and… the rest… they can come."

"Okay. I'm…"

But before she could apologize, offer her condolences, the phone went dead. They weren't healed. Not yet.

Emily placed the phone back on the receiver and slowly sat down in her seat.

The Clearwaters hadn't spoken to her since she moved out, though Emily always had a sneaking suspicion that her uncle hadn't wanted that. He was on the Council, he knew about Sam and the pack. He knew exactly what was going on. Sam told her that he had asked about her. His wife and daughter must have forbidden any primary contact. Now, to think that the only one who really wanted her back…

She felt the first tear slide down her face and wiped it away.

Harry had been like a father to her.

Sam knew about Harry Clearwater before he got back home, and the house was eerie and silent as the werewolves quickly consumed the dinner before they left too soon. Sue must have called them too. One of them must have had a cell phone on them that afternoon. Emily didn't think into it too much. She was in too much grief about her uncle.

Emily had always been quick to cry. She hated it, and had tried very hard to control herself, especially since she became the pack's den mother. So she kept it all inside while she was with Sam, with the pack, but when they were gone, she shut the door to her bedroom and sobbed like a little child.

Sam noticed her red eyes. She knew he did, because she did not hide them. But since Harry's death, he hadn't been the same either. Neither of them mentioned anything.

Bella disappeared an hour before the funeral. Jacob said one of the Cullens had been at her house. Sam said, "Let her go."

If she didn't want their protection, if she wanted to go running off with them, then let her. It was like trying to send an unwilling drug addict to rehab. You could only do so much: they needed to want to change.

And Bella definitely didn't want to change. So she left the pack, Jacob, behind. Fine, Sam thought. Good riddance. Maybe the red-haired vampire would disappear too.

But that malice might just be a pain talking.

It seemed as if the entire tribe showed up at the Clearwater's that morning. The sky was dreary, the people were covered in black, from their clothes to their raven hair. Charlie Swan, Bella's father, wandered through the crowd slowly. He looked so out of place. He also had no idea his daughter was gone. Yet.

When Emily saw her aunt, her heart plummeted into her chest. The woman had cut her long hair up to her chin in grief.

"I'm glad you came."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

And suddenly Sue Clearwater was hugging her niece to her, and they were both sobbing into the other's black dress. What better time for a reunion than a funeral?

"Take Leah's place," Sue said, pulling away.

"What? Where is she?" Emily asked.

Sue bit her lip. "I don't know."

Emily shuddered. Who would miss her father's own funeral?

On the hour, Sue, hand-in-hand with her son and niece, led the crowd out onto their front yard. The black-clad procession, like the sea at night, flowed from the house and onto the street.

Sue's walk was slow and heavy, as if she were mentally rejecting each automated footfall. Her hand around Emily's was so tight that her fingers were turning purple, but Emily didn't pull away.

It seemed to take forever to cross the reservation, but soon the solemn sands of First Beach appeared below the craggy cliffs. The crowd rose over the swell of the sand dunes like a river, sliding down to the water's edge, where Harry Clearwater's body was waiting.

Sam and the pack stood alongside the small canoe, still as stones as the procession spread across the beach. The Council members broke off from the crowd and joined them, lining one side. Sue pulled Seth and Emily toward the empty side of the burial canoe. Harry Clearwater's body lay inside, wrapped in a traditional blanket alongside the things he would take with him to the next world. Packed around his body were little bundles of food and mementos from his family.

Sue let go of Emily's hand and touched her husband's face through the blanket. Emily ripped her eyes away from the body that used to be her uncle and looked at Sam. He was already looking at her. She knew at once they were thinking the same thing. She could see it in his eyes.

"If I ever lost you…"

Finally, Sue stepped away from the canoe and nodded to the line of men on the other side. Sam and Billy Black parted from the line, and Seth let go of his mother's hand. Together, the three generations leaned against the canoe and pushed it into the rising surf.

The boat sliced through the water, sending ripples across the surface. The men's pant legs were submerged into the water, their old dress shoes running along the sand as they pushed the canoe further and further into the sea. Finally, as the water skimmed the men's thighs, they allowed the boat to continue on the current. The three men waited for a moment, watching the canoe drift away, before turning back and wading to beach. The fog was just clearing over the ocean Harry drifted farther and farther away. Emily looked over at her aunt, and saw that Charlie Swan had wrapped an arm around her shoulders and was allowing her to sob into his dark shirt.

The tiny little craft meandered away from them, out into the sea. The entire procession waited, silent. The three men finally emerged from the waves. Seth went to his mother, Billy to his son, Sam to Emily. She hadn't noticed she'd been crying until he wiped the tears away with his huge, warm hands before consuming her in his arms.

…

Of course, the Cullens would choose that week to return. Their house was beautiful once more, and the doctor was back at the hospital. The accepted story was that Esme, his wife, did not like the weather wherever they had gone, but the werewolf pack knew better. They knew that the leeches wanted Bella. She was back with the one called Edward before she even stepped off the plane. It was as if the last few months never happened.

The bloodsuckers had the worse timing. Maybe they had been watching, and they just enjoyed torturing the pack. They were given no time to grieve. They had work to do. And the pack had a new member.

…

The backdoor opened slowly.

"Right on time," Emily said with a sad smile. She was still dressed in black from the funeral. The pack had been forced to run a patrol directly after the funeral. It was near two in the morning. She had made them a pie or six. Sam's face was grave, and he shot for her.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything is going to be okay," he said, taking her shoulders.

"What are you talking about? Did someone get hurt?" she asked.

"Just remember that I love you and nothing can ever change that."

"Sam, you're scaring me," she whispered.

"Remember that I told you we had a new pack member?"

"Yes. Oh, did you find him? Is he okay?"

"Hello, Emily."

The new voice shocked Emily. Because it wasn't new at all. She'd known that voice her entire life. Sam's eyes were pleading, but she tore away from him to see Leah standing at the back door with her arms crossed.

"Leah."

"She changed the day Harry died. She couldn't control herself well enough to change back until this afternoon. That's why she wasn't at the funeral. And… Seth looks like he's well on his way too. He's had this awful fever since the funeral."

But Leah couldn't wrap her mind around Seth and attempt to worry. Because there stood Leah, arms crossed, a smirk on her face.

"Okay."

"Emily?"

"I'm fine."

Sam kissed her forehead before sitting down. He would have kissed her lips any other day, stayed with her as she finished cooking.

Emily watched her cousin. Before, when she was merely human, she had been so beautiful, so utterly graceful and perfect. Now, she was even more so, her beauty somehow emboldened by her tribe's ancient power.

How was this possible? The legends were very clear that only Taha Aki's sons were able to transform. But there she was, sitting at Emily's table. One of them.

It must have been God-sent punishment, a fated revenge on her. What else could it be? It struck her how often Sam and Leah would now be together. Every day, most nights. Running together through the woods. Knowing each other's every thought. Sharing something so huge that he and Emily would never be able to share. Terror seized her entire body. She felt as if she were petrified.

"You okay, Emily?" she heard. Jacob touched her arm. Emily came back to her senses.

"Of course. I'm perfectly fine." She closed her eyes, her hand on her forehead. "Actually… actually I'm going to go lie down upstairs. I feel a little out of it."

Sam stood from the table and began to follow her.

"Sam, stay here. I just need to… I'm fine."

Leah's perfect, unmarred face watched her as she disappeared from the kitchen. The stairs floated upwards. Her mind was foggy. She tripped twice, but made it to her bed. Sitting down, she tried to close her eyes and normalize her pounding heartbeat. Leah would have been able to hear it. Smell her fear. Knowing that made Emily feel even worse.

She couldn't lie down, knowing that Leah was sitting just downstairs. Her hands were shaking, her breathing was irregular. She was having a panic attack.

Steps on the staircase. "Emily?"

She couldn't manage to reassure him. No words could escape her wheezing.

His arms were around her. "Listen to my breathing. Emily, listen to me."

She tried to match her breathing to his, and it began to even out. He unwrapped one arm and wiped the tears she did not remember crying from her cheekbones.

"It's okay."

"It isn't okay, Sam."

"I told you. Nothing is going to change."

"But everything has," Emily muttered. She looked up at Sam. He had looked away, toward the open door. He knew she was right.

A/N:

Hey everyone! Sorry about the freakishly long chapter! I just couldn't find a way to end it without one part being far too short and the other being far too long. Maybe it's a good thing? I don't know. Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

Emily watched Jacob through his whole process: what an awful thing this girl was doing to him

Chapter Eleven

"Jared seems happy," Emily said absentmindedly as she scrubbed a pan at the sink.

"Yeah. He's really adjusting well to the imprint," Sam said, a newspaper in hand.

"I'm glad to hear that."

Sam opened his mouth to respond, but didn't know what else to say. So he shut it again, and continued pretending to read the newspaper.

"Kim seems like a very nice girl," Emily added.

"I've only met her a few times, but she seems so, yeah," Sam said.

It was strange, watching someone else imprint. Jared had never been a very chatty guy. He was calm, quiet, serene almost. It was funny to think that he and Paul had been friends before they both changed, and hadn't been shoved together by the pack. But suddenly, Jared's mind was everywhere at once. Sam felt like a tennis audience, his head turning as the ball changed direction each time. And what those thoughts would change to… _God I miss her. What is she doing right now? I want to kiss her so bad again. Does she miss me too? I wonder what she looks like without her shirt on. I'm picking her up before school tomorrow, right?_

The images that ran long with the thoughts weren't exactly PG either.

And Kim was such a nerd too. He'd rather not think of nice, quiet Kim… ugh.

Come to think of it… what kind of obsession did the act of imprinting have with nerdy girls? Emily, Kim… Annie from the rez gift shop might just be joining the family soon, by the look of things. Sam suddenly saw Paul handing Annie a bouquet of roses and almost laughed. But he hadn't laughed in a while. He was just too busy.

On top of Jared's changing, the pack had Leah, Seth, and Quil to train. Seth had phased days after Leah, and Quil had finally changed a week ago. And because training three new werewolves while trying to coach Jared's thought process wasn't hard enough… there was always Leah.

"I'm glad. Jared's such a good guy."

"Yeah."

The pain that came with each of these meaningless, distracted conversations began to rise up in his chest again, but he suppressed it. He couldn't afford to feel that, not with Leah having full-access of his thoughts whenever they had to phase. He didn't want her to know just how much she was getting to him. To Emily.

Because his weakness was just what she wanted. She was a full believer in persistent and unrelenting torment. Whoever said, "The first cut is the deepest" had never met Leah.

Sam could have dealt with her if she exclusively tortured him. It would be hard, seeing those memories of him holding Emily, blood-soaked and screaming, in his arms, reliving the first time he'd seen her bandaged, but at least it would only be him. He could deal with Leah's memories of their falling out, she crying over his note, fleeting images of what they used to have. But she didn't stop with Sam. She was intent on hitting him from every angle.

She wouldn't let the identity of Embry's father rest. Her mind was like a machine, continuous thoughts etching into paper like a heart beat. Even when they weren't in wolf form, Leah would suddenly laugh.

"Embry, that face you made… I swore you looked just like Billy Black!"

And the things she said to Emily…

"Emily, the blue in your shirt really helps to tone down the red in your scars."

And Emily's face would heat up, Sam could just feel it do so, and her eyes would fall across the floor, and her hair would fall across her face, to hide the scars. And, ever so brightly, Leah would turn to him.

"Don't you think so, Sam?"

He would never answer her, because he thought that it would help. But she never really needed him to answer. She just needed to watch Emily look at him, want him to defend her, and smugly watch as he changed the subject.

Smugly watch as Emily withdrew into herself.

Emily began wearing long sleeves, longer than necessary, to cover her arm and the back of her hand. She rifled through her winter clothes and brought out any sweaters she owned. It was the beginning of summer, yet she roamed the house wrapped up in thick turtleneck sweaters. Sam didn't have to guess what she was doing. He knew. But he couldn't say anything about it, couldn't reassure Emily that she was so beautiful and amazing and completely perfect. That he wanted no one in the world but her. That Leah didn't matter. Because, in some way, Leah was always present. There were no secrets.

Sam bent the paper for a moment to watch Emily. She had paused at the sink, her arm pushing a strand of hair from her face. She was wearing a dark turtleneck sweater that was inappropriate for the beginning of the summer. Her hair, which she normally tied back, hung in front of her face. In front of her scars.

The hint of pain again. And again he pushed it back down.

Emily succeeded in brushing the strand of hair away and began rinsing whatever she had been washing earlier. Her sleeves were wet, but she refused to push them up. He could tell the wet fabric bothered her, lapping uncomfortably around her wrists whenever she moved, but it was so much better than showing those blood red lines that ran down her arm.

Sam hated when she hid her scars. Seeing them reminded him of her forgiveness. Hiding them meant she was ashamed, and his shame and guilt of what he did returned. That, coupled with Leah's constant reminders of the past, the pack's low morale, the stress that came with three new werewolves, and the failure to capture the female vampire before she most suddenly disappeared, beat down on Sam until he was stretched so thin that breaking was a when, not an if.

He envied Jared. His distraction was so whole and complete. He didn't have to hide from it.

"I wish she would go," Emily suddenly said.

Sam let the newspaper fall onto the table. How strange that though he felt so far away from her, they had been thinking the same thing.

"She can't. Now more than ever is when we should stick together as a pack," he said carefully. His answer felt rehearsed. Sam looked at her, bent over the sink, her knuckles white around the edge.

"But she's ripping the pack apart, Sam!" Emily said, whipping around to face him. Her gaze was pleading. Her voice was quieter.

"I can't take this anymore. I don't know what to do."

"Don't let her get to you," Sam said, standing from the table and walking to her.

"Maybe you should try a little of your medicine, Sam Uley," Emily spat. Sam stopped in front of her, his arms falling to his sides.

"What do you mean by that?" he said, suddenly angry. So much he had kept deep down, hidden. It had been waiting to explode like a geyser this entire time.

"No, I'm sorry. That was unfair," she said, reaching for him. He ripped himself away from her.

"What do you want me to do, Emily? Tell her to join some other werewolf pack on some other rez? Tell her to stop phasing and go back to just being human? Okay, I'll do that."

"I don't know, Sam." Emily's voice was so low.

"Don't you think I know what she's doing? What can I do about it? You have any ideas?"

He was yelling now. Emily was terrified.

"No."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I have to deal with you at home, with the pack out there. I can't be pack leader and some happy fucking mediator!"

"You… _deal_ with me at home?"

They met each other's eyes, and Sam's gaze relentlessly bore into hers until she looked down to the floor. He didn't answer. He was too angry.

"So please, when you know how to fix all of this, let me know. Don't start something you can't finish, Emily." He was so angry. She could see him shaking. Tears were brimming at her eyelids.

"Sam…"

"I think I'm staying at my place tonight."

Emily's eyes grew wide. "Wait, no, Sam!"

But Sam couldn't see straight, he was so angry. He went to the door, and it slammed behind him. Had he shut it so hard?

Sam's car had always stayed in Emily's driveway for appearances. It had been so long since he had driven it… he could barely remember the last time he had sat behind the wheel. He opened the door a little too hard, twisted the key a little too fast. The engine roared to life, and he screeched out of the tiny driveway. It was only when he was driving far too fast down the thin dirt road did he realize what he was doing.

…

Sam slammed the door and was gone. The engine, the tires, then silence. Emily waited, silent, for him to turn back. But he didn't. She couldn't move. She was frozen on the spot.

Their first fight. She thought she might die from the pain. Her knees gave way and she fell to the floor. Her hands palm-down pressed against the cheap, pealing linoleum on the floor. Tears and more tears, crashing down her face like an avalanche.

The thought of being without him for an entire night seemed like agony: the mere suggestion of it seemed to shred her soul into millions of tattered pieces. She kept looking to the door, waiting for him to return. But he didn't. The minutes felt like centuries as she waited. He wasn't coming. Her heart fell out of her chest and rolled away from her across the floor.

Emily was finally able to summon enough strength to stand. She crawled up the stairs and into her bedroom. Emily collapsed on her bed. It was barely a full-sized mattress, but it seemed disturbingly vast without him there beside her. She shivered. It was so cold.

Something caught her eye as she pulled the covers up over her cold body. One of his shirts, abandoned from that morning, lay thrown across the foot of the bed. One tentative hand reached for it. Suddenly she was crazed, tearing off her turtleneck. She needed to feel him against her. How else would she survive? The plaid flannel smelled almost exactly like him, and impossibly still held some of his warmth. She wrapped it around her so tightly, trying to imitate the way his arms felt around her. She kissed the fabric. What a poor substitution.

Then she heard the door open and close, and someone come leaping up the stairs. And Sam was there in her doorway.

"Emily…" he said, crossing the room in two strides.

She took him into her arms, saying his name over and over to make sure he was there. Relief dulled the pain until it was no longer there: she could feel her soul reattaching itself with his. He whispered unintelligible things between his apologies in her ear as he ran his hands through her hair over and over.

"Don't ever leave me," she whispered. She grabbed at the back of his head, bringing his mouth to hers almost violently. She desperately needed to remember what this felt like.

His hands, one on the small of her back and the other behind her neck, pressed her toward him so strongly that she thought she might break. But she reveled in the pressure. Her legs slid around his waist, squeezing him closer.

Then his hands met at the back of her neck, and took hold of his shirt's collar. He pulled, and it fell back, leaving her shoulders and upper arms bare. Then his arms were at her waist, slowly traveling up the sides of her bare torso until they touched the offensive fabric over her chest. He wrapped his arms underneath his shirt and abandoned her mouth, dropping hungry kisses down her jaw, neck, and collarbone.

And then he was on his back, and she hovered above him so beautifully. Her hair was in his face, her fingertips were still wet from the sink, leaving cold trails across his skin, making his hair stand on end. He had to stop this soon. Before it went too far.

Because right then she drew her fingertips over the waistband of his jeans. He hissed against her skin.

"What are you doing?" he gasped. She kissed down the side of his face, ending at his lips.

"I don't care anymore. It doesn't matter."

"Emily, I…"

But she was already unbuttoning, unzipping the fly, freeing him. He couldn't think straight.

"You…"

"Sam, I'm going to marry you. It doesn't matter anymore."

Did she know she was rocking against him? Did she know how intoxicating her fingers felt against his skin?

"But…"

Her fingers were traveling dangerously low. He grabbed at her hands.

"Emily."

"I love you. That's all that matters."

He couldn't think straight. And she was using all his old arguments. The most beautiful girl in the world was perched half-naked in his lap, and he wanted to stop. What was wrong with him?

"You'll regret not waiting," he tried.

"I won't."

She bent to kiss him again. He caught her face in one hand and touched her lips with his thumb.

"Emily, please. Think about this."

He was her protector. He would protect her even against himself.

"Just a little while longer," he whispered.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Just, trust me Emily."

"Its Leah, isn't it?" she asked, sitting up, away from him. He shot up, winding his arms around her.

Sam pulled her close again.

"I feel like I should be saying the same for you."

Sam's large hands held each side of her head, smoothing the long, straight black hair that hung down on both sides. He took in her entire face, her wrinkled brow, her inverted lips, her eyes shut tight. He kissed her forehead, willing beyond anything that she would understand. And with a sigh, Emily released her tension, pressing her face into his large hand.

"We're going to have to talk about this," Sam said.

"Okay."

She leaned back into him, her arms against his chest, and kissed him again. They were slow now, cautious. His fingers wound into her hair, moving against her scalp and tugging lightly on the locks. He loved the feel of her gasp against his lips.

Finally Sam twisted and lay her down on the bed. He touched her legs and untwisted them from his waist. Then he sat up, touched the first buttons of the old flannel shirt she was wearing, slowly twisting the buttons one by one, traveling upwards, placing a kiss on each patch a skin before covering it for the night. Then he lay beside her, pulled her close, and kissed her hair.

She fell asleep quickly. It had been an emotionally draining day, and Sam could feel his eyelids grow heavier and heavier in each passing moment. But one thought echoed in his mind as he drifted into sleep.

He wouldn't let that happen again. He would not let Leah win.

…

Sam considered himself a good boyfriend when he was with Leah. He knew Leah's, birthday, favorite color favorite food, and favorite kind of cake. He knew the stores she liked in case he had to get her a gift. He knew what movies she liked, what songs she liked. She knew the people she hated. He had always thought that was all he needed to know.

He woke up far before Emily had, the slightest bit of dawn shining into his hypersensitive eyes from her bedroom window and waking him up. Emily said that he always looked perturbed or unhappy when she caught him sleeping. He wondered why.

Because Emily looked completely and totally content in her sleep. A perfect angel lying next to him. Yet, as he stared at her, he realized that he did not know her favorite color, her favorite movie, her favorite stores. If he didn't know these things, what kind of a fiancé _was_ he?

Emily stirred in his arms.

"What time is it?" she asked, her eyes still closed, her words slightly slurred in sleep.

"Nine. I've got the morning off. It's a Saturday, remember?"

"Oh. Good," she said, her eyes finally opening.

"How long have you been up?" Emily asked.

_Since dawn_. "I don't know," Sam answered.

"Hmm."

"Emily, what's your favorite color?"

Her scrunched her brow and closed her eyes again. "I don't know. Light purple, maybe. Like lavender."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Sam nodded. "Okay. Mine's orange."

"I know," Emily said, leaning against his room. Sam frowned.

"You know? How?"

"You said it. The day I painted the flower box you looked at it and you said that I picked a good color because orange was your favorite."

Sam seemed to slump into his pillow.

"Oh…. What about your favorite food?"

Emily sighed. "You sure are chatty the morning after." A sly grin slid across her face at her unclean joke.

"I'm serious."

"Ugh. I guess… Chocolate cake."

"Do you know mine?"

"Of course. Its…" She opened her eyes and sat up. "Oh. I don't know."

"Steak," Sam offered.

"Well I feel stupid. That was an easy guess. Sam, what's wrong?"

"We really don't know that much about each other, do we?" Sam observed, his fingers running down Emily's bare arm.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know your favorite band or what store you like just in case I need to get you a gift at the last minute…."

"You know I don't need gifts like that," Emily said softly.

"Its just that we should know these things. It's weird that we don't. I'm usually good with these things."

"Well, when you are training an entire werewolf pack all day and all of the night, chasing after hungry vampires bent on killing you and your pack, and keeping watch of one terribly accident-prone girl all at once, knowing someone's favorite color seems a little arbitrary."

"When you put it that way…" Sam muttered.

"But I guess you're right. We never really… _dated_, did we?" Emily said with a slight smirk. Sam straightened up against the headboard.

"Yeah we did."

"Name one date we've gone on, Sam."

Emily sat up and watched him think.

"Well, there was that one time… No, wait. I… Does that one bonfire where everyone left for a little while and we were alone count?"

"Sam, we were out in the woods searching for fire wood while the werewolves went off thinking they'd seen a spot of red."

"I guess that's a no."

"You'd be right."

"Well, damn… I guess we never did."

"Just like an old married couple from the start," Emily mused. She lay back down, next to her fiancé, and lay her head gently against his bare chest.

"Well? Emily?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"You… want to go on a date with me?"

Emily sat up again, and suddenly had to fight the urge to laugh at the nervous expression on Sam's face. She took his hand gently, with mock-regret on her face.

"I don't know. I have this fiancé who would get a little jealous."

"No, seriously. Let's go see a movie tonight. And dinner. Dinner and a movie, the old classic."

"Can we afford that?" she asked in a low voice.

"It would be like, fifty tops. Twenty for the movie tickets, thirty for dinner."

"Where are you going to take me? Pizza Hut?" Emily laughed. Sam didn't get it.

"Don't you like pizza?" he asked, puzzled.

"You are so romantic," she said, kissing him lightly.

"Fine. What about Applebee's?"

He was trying so hard. Then again, maybe she'd seen too many romantic movies. Not everyone could afford to go to those black-tie places.

"Sounds great."

"You sure? I mean, we could go somewhere else. Though anything really fancy probably wouldn't work… I don't think I own a dress shirt that fits anymore."

"Sam, Applebee's would be lovely."

He smiled. "Good. Their cheesy fries are awesome."

Emily burst into laughter. "You sound like Jacob," she said.

"Quiet…" he said, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her back down to his chest. Emily giggled for a moment, until his lips found hers and she forgot what exactly had been so funny.

"What movie do you want to see?"

Emily took a moment to regain control of her senses. She knew Sam could tell he'd dazed her, and he had a cocky smile on his face.

"You might not want to go see any of those movies."

"I could sit through one."

"You'd _sleep_ through it, Sam."

"Well, there is this new movie out that I really wanted to see."

"What's it about?"

"A dirty cop. And an undercover cop. And they are working to find each other out the entire time. And Jack Nicholson plays the mob boss."

"Sounds good."

He raised his eyebrows. "You sure? I thought you hated Jack Nicholson because he's creepy."

"He _is_ creepy, but as long as you're there, I'm sure it will be great," Emily pledged. She leaned into him again, pressing her lips to his slowly, deeply. He sighed into the kiss, pulling her closer to him. She loved these easy moments, in the morning with the sun lightly meandering in from the window above her bed, both of them still partly asleep, but so very aware of the other. These were her happiest moments.

"Pick me up at six," she said coyly before pulling away completely. It was Sam's turn to be dazed as she glided out the room.

As soon as she was out of his sight, she clapped her hands in front of her mouth to hide her laugh again. How had she managed to actually glide like that? She had actually been _coy_.

A few minutes later, as Emily poured herself a cup of coffee, she heard Sam from upstairs. "Hey Emily? Do you think I need to call Applebee's for a reservation?"

"I think we'll be okay," she said, fighting the laughter back down. He really was trying.

…

Butterflies were tearing her stomach apart as she followed Sam into the restaurant. It was Applebee's, for crying out loud! At least, that was what she kept telling herself. But the realization that the love of her life was taking her on her first, real date sent another batch of shivers down her spine. She felt too dressed up, too made up, and too riled up. She needed to calm down.

It was Applebee's, for crying out loud!

"Table for two," Sam said, gesturing at the same time. His peace sign was lost on the hostess, who was busily scribbling down on something.

"Yes sir," she said, still not looking up but bending down, to grab two menus. Finally she looked up. "Follow me, please."

But the 'please' came out rather choked, because that was when she saw Emily. Rather, that was when she saw those hot red wounds that wound down her face, neck, and bare shoulder, down to the back of her hand. Emily's face flushed with heat.

"Is there a problem?" Sam's cool eyes had narrowed into slits. Emily squeezed his hand, but he didn't approve of the 'It's not worth it' shaking of her head. Emily regretted not bringing a sweater. This dress was far too… _bare_.

Sam continued to glare, and the hostess looked unnerved. Sam could be very intimidating when he wanted to be.

"Not at all, sir. Right this way."

She led them to a back table, the glass lamp baring pears and apples in garish reds and greens. Sam nodded shortly to her, and with one last glance at Emily, the hostess disappeared.

It had been so long since Emily had ventured into the public eye. When she first got out of the hospital, she rarely went grocery shopping, though when she did she often bought the store out to lengthen the time before her next journey. The relationship between her and the rest of the community had progressed now to a mutual shyness of each other. Everyone knew she and Sam, _the_ Sam Uley, were together. They respected her enough to not stare. Her boys didn't talk about it. She'd grown so used to those scars that they seemed normal to her, a part of her face, a part of her. She forgot that not everyone was used to those scars. After that morning, Emily thought that she had conquered Leah's attempted sabotage. Had she been so base as to think that Leah would be the only one calling attention to those burning red lines streaking down her face?

"Emily? Are you okay?"

She looked at Sam for a moment. She didn't answer.

A waitress approached their table and asked for their drink order. Emily could tell she was making a point not to stare. That was even worse. She took their order and then left.

"Emily?"

"I'm fine. This is fine. Really nice."

"We don't have to stay."

"I want to. I do." She gave a short smile. "Really."

Sam didn't look convinced, but let it go. Emily hated lying, but she wanted this to work. She desperately wanted to pretend, just for a moment, that she and Sam were normal when they were anything but.

Emily and Sam tried to make conversation, somehow her topics delivered only a few lines of dialogue before it pattered out into awkwardness. She was distracted by the feeling of eyes on her face, on her back. Little children a table down the row gawked at her unabashedly. Their mother scolded them from time to time, but as she spoke her eyes glanced to Emily to get a look for herself.

What a stupid, horrible idea this all was. She was happy in La Push. She didn't need to come down to the boardwalk, go on stupid dates. Who needed dates? Who had time for them? She'd selfishly torn Sam away from the pack… what if something bad happened that night, and Sam wasn't there? How would they explain that? Sorry, but we wanted to catch a movie? We thought out supernatural enemies could hold off for a night while we went to dinner?

Then the worst thought of all crossed her mind. If she had stayed away from La Push last summer, if she had kept away from Sam, if she hadn't gone down to meet him that night… she could be a completely different person leading a totally different life. She would be whole, and whatever guy she was with would be normal, and this night would be normal.

She wanted to cover her face in shame for the thought. To think that she wanted someone else than Sam. She may have been unmarred, but she would be hollow without him. She reached out and grabbed his hand, and he looked back at her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Its not you. It's these people. Can't mind their own business."

Sam, protecting her until the end. Sam, her soul-mate. She couldn't live without him if she tried. What a horrible person she was, wishing for someone besides him. Who could ever love her better than he did? She had had to pay for that love, but he had too. What kind of easy, happy, normal life was worth anything if Sam wasn't there? He didn't know what she was apologizing for, not really. She wouldn't tell him either. Not ever.

When their food came, Sam asked for the check immediately. They left as soon as Emily finished her last swig of soda. The second tour through the crowd of staring eyes was just as bad.

"The movie theater will be better," Sam said, squeezing her hand.

_Because I'll be hidden in the dark. No one will see the freak_, Emily thought. She pushed back the tears. She was glad Sam didn't turn around, didn't see her so upset.

When they got to the theater, Sam bought tickets to the romantic comedy playing despite Emily's protests. They headed into the theater early and sat in the back. No one seemed to look at Emily there, though she wasn't comfortable until the seats were blanketed in darkness and the previews began to play. Sam had shoved the cup-holder back and pulled her as close to him as possible. She melted into his chest, and suddenly, she was back home, sitting on that lumpy old couch and watching a movie in her tiny living room. It was just her and Sam: everyone else disappeared.

A year ago, Emily thought she wanted one of those frightfully romantic guys. The ones with all the lines, the ones that bought you eleven real roses and one fake one and said things like, "I'll love you until the last rose dies." The ones that took her for night walks on the beach and carved endearments with his toes in the sand. The ones that would show up beneath her window and steal her heart away after some long, romantic speech about how they couldn't live a day without her.

Instead she got a guy who thought a good date began at Applebee's, who fell asleep at the mere thought of poetry. Sam had no lines, no fake roses. Instead he ran off with his friends all the time, was always late, was never home, and didn't have enough money to spend on anything they did not strictly need. And to be frank, he spent half his time as a freakishly huge, glossy black wolf in the middle of the woods. He wasn't what she wanted at all.

But when he held her like this, and kissed her hair whenever something particularly romantic happened on screen, even though she knew he thought it was cheesy… she knew he was exactly what she needed.

"Did you like the movie?" Sam asked as the lights came up. She shrugged.

"It was okay. Let's go back home," she said. Sam smiled.

"Sounds good to me."

…

…

…

A/N: Sorry it took so long! I thought I'd write you a sickly sweet, fluffy mess of Sam/Emily-ness to compensate.  Thanks and please review!


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Come on Sam! This would make perfect sense. We ally ourselves with them…"

"Do you hear yourself, Jacob?"

"…And we have extra eyes, extra ears… We have more people on our side!"

Sam silenced him with his upturned hand. Why did it seem as if Jacob was always siding with the vampires?

"I don't like it, Jacob. The boundaries have been in place for decades, since the Cullens first came here. I don't want the vampires running around our land, getting too close. There are more of them then there are of us. It could be a plan to trust them and then have these vampires in Seattle and the Cullens come at us from two sides."

"Sam. Listen to me. Bella won't let that happen! She is our advantage!"

"You think that they share every little plan with Bella? She doesn't know everything, Jacob. There are a lot of things that the bloodsuckers don't tell her every detail about."

"Sam. Just for now. We aren't becoming them. We are barely even allying ourselves with them. We are splitting the land and making it easier for us to patrol."

"Later, Jacob. I'll think about it, but I don't like it."

Jacob groaned in frustration, his hands running through his lengthening hair.

"Sam…"

"I'm the Alpha, Jacob. When you decide to accept what is yours, you can be the leader of the pack. But for now, I'm the Alpha and I say, 'No way in hell.'"

Jacob rolled his eyes, his massive body crashing into the back of his chair. His eyes landed on the clock on Emily's oven and he huffed.

"Its time for patrol, Quil." Jacob stood, refusing to look at Sam, and walked out.

"It would be a good idea…" Quil muttered, as he moved from the living room and left Jacob. Sam sat at the table alone, his arms crossed. Suddenly there was a pat on his shoulder. Leah's face appeared at his side.

"I'm glad our Alpha has no balls. Looks like I'm not the only girl in the pack after all." He glared into her grin, but she simply laughed and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Leah, they left without you. You better get going," Sam growled.

"Its not like I can't catch up," she said over her shoulder as the door slammed.

Jacob had been trying to persuade him to join forces with the Cullens for a week now, since Bella had discovered vampires had been in her room and stolen a shirt or two. No matter how many times Jacob proposed it, however, it still seemed insane. How could they trust the vampires to behave on their land? Sam thought that they were too close to the reservation even now, without editing the original treaty.

"Um, Sam?"

Sam looked up to see Seth approaching.

"I just wanted to say thanks," Seth whispered.

"Thanks? For what?"

"The other night… She's my cousin and with Leah… just thanks."

If Sam could have turned redder, he would have. Seth coughed into his hand. They both looked into the living room, where Emily sat in an armchair among the other werewolves, her eyes flicking up from the laundry in her lap to the James Bond movie blaring from the old television. Sam met her eyes, and she smiled at him.

"I… oh, I mean. Yeah."

"I mean, it's hard enough with Jared going on about Kim all the time. And Jacob…"

"Yeah. You're welcome." He cleared his throat.

"Okay. Well. I'm going to finish the, uh, movie," Seth said. The youngest pack member almost ran back into the room, where Paul had stolen his place on the couch.

"I was sitting there, Paul!"

"Didn't call fives. Your fault," Paul said. Seth opened his mouth to assert himself, but received a handful of popcorn in his face.

Sam tried to shake off the awkwardness of Seth's appreciation with a quick laugh. But he was still on edge. He was frustrated by Jacob, uneasy by Seth, and altogether nervous by the prospect of vampires coming closer and closer to the rez. He exhaled slowly, his eyes swimming up to the backdoor. A walk would be nice. Maybe a quick run. With one last glance back at Emily, Sam opened the backdoor and descended the three steps down into her backyard.

The backyard was a mess. The pack had phased and un-phased so many times, had run off into the woods, had fought and tackled each other so often, that whatever grass that had been there was covered in mud. A broken washing machine was still outside, because Sam hadn't had time to bring it to the dump just yet. The trees were almost ominous in their shadows.

But twilight had descended over the reservation. It was warm out, and the sky was a purplish blue water-colored over the tops of the trees. Warm pools of light melted off the trees leaves as the sun slipped below the horizon quicker and quicker.

Sam walked around the house and onto the tiny, twisting road. He loved this time of night. He looked back and realized he couldn't see Emily's house anymore. He was completely alone. Sam smiled.

Suddenly he was an explosion of fur and claws. He was running, running, running down that winding road, as fast as he possibly could, reaching his previous limits and breaking them.

"Sam, what are you…?"

He wasn't paying enough attention to identify the other mind. He pushed them away. His muscles were cramping, straining, burning, but he kept going. The road twisted suddenly onto the main road, but Sam rushed into the woods instead.

The shadows and Sam's speed made the forest look like an old-time movie, the reels fading in and out as they portray the scene. It was getting darker and darker, but the sun's faint rays lit up the needles on the ground and the rich browns and reds in the dirt. He had never realized how beautiful the world around him was when he was human.

Sam spotted a familiar landmark and skidded to a halt. Pushing through the brush before him, he slowly padded onto the flat slab of rock that topped the cliff. He could see the cliff from of where he and the pack would sometimes dive. First Beach curled out of view he traced the craggy coastline with his wolf eyes. The cliffs were black. The water was even blacker.

It was so beautiful.

He wished Emily could see it.

He wished Emily were there with him.

Sam felt the tug in his chest, the invisible line pulled tight and tense between them. Any more distance and he knew he would feel it, the sensation that his heart would burst out of his back if he kept walking forward.

It was dark now. Twilight was over. He needed to get back home.

The trip home took far too long, but the tug and pull began to lessen. Finally he was on the thin road to her home. And he heard her.

"Sam? Sam, are you out here?"

The movie was still blaring inside the house as he passed the living room window. The boys' entranced faces flashed in and out of Sam's vision as the movie flickered n the screen. None of the boys looked up to spy their wolf-like Alpha pass by.

"Sam?"

He was a wolf.

"Sam! Where are you?"

He didn't have clothes with him. They lay shredded on the road.

"Sam!"

He couldn't answer.

Finally the backdoor swung closed.

He came around the corner of the house and froze.

_No!_ He wanted to scream. Not when everything had been going so well.

Because Emily was still outside. And her eyes were frozen on his.

…

Emily stood on the steps outside, her body completely petrified. Her hands were clenched at her sides, white around the knuckles and red around her fingertips.

She couldn't lie to herself and pretend like she didn't know him. She couldn't force down the memories of that awful night. Her scars seemed to grow warmer, as if her body's heat was trying to flow toward him.

He whined, bowing his head.

"Sam?" she asked.

Huge, he was just feet away. His yellow, wolfish eyes gleamed from the deep black face. He seemed bigger than he had been that night so long ago. So powerful, graceful even without moving. It should have been fear that caught her breath in her throat and froze her muscles into stone. But it was his beauty that did those things.

He whined, gingerly stepping toward her. He dropped his head, his yellow eyes falling down and out of her sight. It was dark: the others were inside. No one else could see them.

He paused a few yards away from her. She knew he was trying to tell if she was scared or worried, if she would bolt if he came any nearer. If she still trusted him. She repositioned herself to face him directly, let her arms fall to her sides in a posture that, hopefully, seemed more relaxed than she really was. He took one other step toward her. She held her ground.

Soon he was close enough to touch, and she let one arm slowly rise up to touch the glossy night-black fur at his neck. She expected it to be rough and hard, but it was strangely soft and radiated with the same heat that his normal, human body did. His heart seemed to beat even faster in this form.

His eyes closed softly when she touched him, and a small smile spread across her face. She leaned in closer, her arms around his huge wolfish neck, her face buried in the black fur. Sam, wolf Sam, exhaled, and the force was almost enough to knock her down.

"Emily! Emily, you're missing the best part!" Jared called from inside.

"I'm coming. One second," she answered. She took a step back. She swore she heard his disapproval as his head swung around, and his soft snout fell against her chest. She laid her cheek against his massive forehead, and then kissed the thin fur there.

His head, wrapped in her arms, pulled at her. They broke for a quick moment, and he lay down on the hard dirt ground. Softly she went to him, curling up against his deep black fur. She listened to his breathing. He was so different, yet so completely the same. Calm, collected, hidden in that dark fur, he was Sam. Her Sam. Always right in front of her, always with her, always too far away.

…

"You think I should," Sam said quietly.

Emily had fetched him a pair of jeans. Seated on the steps, Sam leaned against the door with Emily in his arms. Jacob must spoken to her, though, because watching the stars had become a debate.

"It makes sense, Sam. You can't do this by yourself," Emily said, twisting her body into his.

"I don't trust them."

"I know. But you can. They can really help. I don't like the idea of you so close to the Cullens but I… I don't like thinking that you and the other boys are the only ones up against…" Emily swallowed and hugged him closer.

"An army of vampires," Sam finished. Emily nodded, her check against this chest.

"As many people as possible. Enough that the fight is uneven." She sat up, her eyes flickering with emotion. "Enough that victory is inevitable, the odds are a million to one, that you go into that fight laughing in their faces…"

Sam wiped away the solitary tear that ran down her cheek.

"You'll still worry. Even if there were a million of us and three of them, you would still worry."

"I know." Sam bent down and kissed her.

"You don't have to worry," Sam said, his hand at the back of her neck.

"I'll always will."

…

"Okay. We can do it. Tell Bella we're willing to cooperate."

Quil burst out laughing. Jacob smiled smugly. Not exactly the response he had in mind.

"What? What happened?"

"Jacob kissed her," Embry said with a shake of his head, as if he were ashamed on Jacob's behalf.

"She punched me in the face and broke her hand," Jacob laughed.

"Wow. Seems like you two really enjoyed yourselves," Leah commented.

"Jesus, Jacob. You know how Bella is! Why the hell would you do that?" Sam asked. Of course Jacob would do this now. "When a girl says no, that's when you back off!"

"Really, Sam? I didn't know you followed that particular brand of advice," Leah spat. "I thought its 'When the girl is _brutally mutilated_…'"

"Enough, Leah!" he said with clenched teeth. Their eyes locked before she tipped her nose and walked away.

Sam sighed and massaged his temples.

"Okay. Okay. We'll make this right." He began pacing.

"Sam, calm down. Bella can't be mad at me forever. The Cullens are giving this graduation party and she invited me. She can't reject her invite now, right? I'll just go and talk to them then."

"Alone?" Jared asked. "He shouldn't go alone into Cullen territory."

"Yeah, just because we are doing this doesn't mean we need to be careless," Paul added. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"We're going with him. Quil and I," Embry volunteered. Sam nodded.

"Find out what is going on. Offer. Ally."

"Yes sir, captain, sir," Jacob said with a mock salute.

…

…

…

A/N: Sorry sorry sorry! I am so sorry to keep my few, wonderful readers waiting. I hate hate hate when fanfic writers don't update so often, so I am terribly sorry. I got so caught up in school work and papers and all that that I just had no time. I hope to have more time and be able to finish this story for you all soon. I love you immensely! You are so wonderful!

3 musicsetsmefree1


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

"Is it time yet?"

Sam glanced at the clock, barely seeing the numbers.

"Almost. One more hour."

"You want to put in another movie?" Seth asked.

"Could we put in a movie with some substance this time? I don't think I can take any more Judd Apatow…" Leah complained.

"Judd Apatow is a fucking _genius_," Quil said, his eyes wide, incredulous. Several eyes glanced at Emily. She shrugged. She had abandoned her no-swearing rule long ago.

"Yeah, I thought _Superbad_ was hilarious," Collin added. He and Brady, both fourteen, had recently changed and joined the pack. Collin had adopted Quil as his personal mentor, as they lived next-door to each other on the rez.

"I need to run," Paul breathed, collapsing against the back of the couch before instantly sitting back up again. Everyone was restless. It seemed as if they were congregating far too often, watching movie after movie. The upcoming fight refused to be forgotten by anyone for long.

"Good idea. Let's go join Jacob and Jared," Sam said. Emily suddenly sat up.

"You're going _now_?"

The pack leapt up from their seats and filed past Sam.

"We'll be back later. You don't have to wait up. Its already two in the morning," Sam said, kissing her forehead. He turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand.

"Be careful," she said, hopping up onto her toes to kiss him.

"We will. Be back before you know it," Sam said with an uneasy grin.

The vampires in the city and the red-headed monster running through the forest were connected. She had been creating them, releasing them, making them too wild to fight with anything but desperation. They needed blood, ergo the high murder rates throughout Seattle. Victoria was building an army of insane, blood-hungry newborn vampires. It seemed stupid that all of this had been created to kill the very human, very innocent, and already very self-destructive Bella Swan.

The Cullens were ready to fight for their little toy, and they were happy to have additional troops. Not that they had any choice.

If this uncontrollable army was coming this way, there was no way that the pack wasn't getting involved. It wasn't a matter of pride, but of safety for the reservation and its people. However, besides the one vampire they had killed months before in the woods, the pack didn't have too much experience. A lone vampire was one thing. An army of bloodsuckers was quite another.

Yes, they were still blood-suckers. They weren't people, and the pack weren't going to use their names. Just because they were temporarily on the same side didn't mean that they were best friends. This alliance had been made haphazardly and quickly, but both the vampires and the werewolves had a clear understanding. They had a common goal, and no one was going to break that pact for personal attacks. After this battle was done, then they would resort back to their prior relationship. Now, they needed every man, that is, vampire and werewolf they could get.

Sam refused to use words like "training," "teaching," and "instruction." It was merely practice, cooperation, and sharing experiences that was going on tonight between the Cullens and the pack. But in reality, the one Cullen, Jasper, was teaching them how to fight against these blood-suckers.

It was three in the morning. It must have been, for their sickeningly sweet scent was fresh in the light breeze that blew through the forest.

_Let's get going_, Sam thought. The pack assembled behind him.

_Jesus. We are going to sniffing this for_ how long_?_ Paul complained.

_The quicker we get there, the quicker it will be over,_ Jared added, soothingly.

_Don't phase back_, Sam ordered. _It will be safer for us all if we don't_.

The pack entered the clearing. At the far side the family of vampires waited, still as statues. Bella stood behind Edward, her face twisted in shock. Carlisle stepped forward.

"Welcome," the doctor said.

_Thank you._

"Thank you."

Sam glanced at the one named Edward. So he could read minds… _Good. This is going to be very easy._

_We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control._

Edward spoke, yet Carlisle looked right at Sam when he answered.

"That is more than enough," Carlisle answered. "My son Jasper has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they can be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your own hunting style."

Several of the pack members bristled at the word "teach" but Sam chose to ignore it for now.

_They are different from you?_

"They are all very new—only months old to his life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you—it shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves."

Ten vampires. One for each of the pack. It would be too easy! Sam scoffed. Edward didn't translate that particular reaction.

_We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary._

Edward didn't bother translating the sarcasm either.

Carlisle smiled in Sam's direction. The sight didn't unnerve him as much as he thought it would. He wasn't expecting fangs, but the perfect, human smile seemed wrong on the face of such an inhuman thing.

"We'll see how it plays out."

_Do you know when and how they'll arrive?_

"They'll come across the mountains in four days, in the late morning. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path."

Four days. Mountains. This was going to be easy.

_Thank you for the information. We will watch._

Sam swung his head to the tree line, and the pack followed him. They sat slowly. Seth allowed his head to rest on the ground. Leah nudged him with her shoulder, and he sat up straight again.

Watching the vampires fight was fascinating. They each had their own style, their own strategic movements and attacks. The big one was strong and quick, but too simple. When the little one, the female one with the short hair, danced around Jasper and had him at his neck, several of the wolves growled. Collin and Brady seemed shaken and nervous.

Edward murmured to Bella: "Its good for them to learn some respect."

Sam snarled. Edward glanced quickly at him, a smirk dashing quickly across his face.

_Calm down, _Sam directed to his pack._ Remember, we exist to destroy these creatures. Don't get uneasy. Just watch closely._ Edward made his way toward Jasper for his own turn.

_Maybe after this fight, the Cullens could just fight each other off_, Paul thought.

Quil laughed. _That would certainly solve all our problems!_

_That one can hear you_, Sam said in an easy tone. _Just pay attention_.

Jasper fought each of the vampires one on one. By the end of the night, the pack was itching to join in. Sam felt strange trying to calm him down: he wanted a bit of the action too. Finally Jasper turned to the pack.

"We'll be doing this tomorrow. Please feel welcome to observe again."

Sam stood. The pack shot up behind him.

_Yes. We'll be here._

Sam turned to look at his translator.

_Would it be possible if we could get a sample of your scents? It would be helpful, in any case. And safer for you all during the fight._

The collective mental groans of the pack sounded loudly in Sam's head.

Edward nodded.

_I feel like a little kid putting his hand in the boxes of weird, gross shit in a Halloween haunted house. _

_Suck it up, Embry._

Sam approached Carlisle first. The sickly sweet smell seemed to burn at his nostrils.

_I'll meet you guys later_, Jacob called out as he left the line-up, goofily galloping toward Bella.

_He sure is a glutton for punishment_, Leah scoffed.

They watched as he approached her, and he let her pet him. _Pet_ him. Sam's throat rumbled with distaste. No wonder the vampires called them "dogs" when they thought they couldn't hear. Jacob even licked her face.

But Jacob was far gone where Bella was concerned. He would settle for whatever attention he could get.

_Okay, let's get back. No patrol tonight: the vampires are arrive in four days, and we need to be ready for tomorrow night's session._

_Jacob! You coming?_

He turned and shook his head.

_Nope. I'll see you later, Seth! Meet you guys for afternoon runs in a few hours._

_We'll wait for him._ Embry and Quil hesitated at the tree line. Sam nodded, leading the other werewolves back home.

_This is going to be awesome! _

_Why can't they be coming tomorrow morning?_

_I can't wait to get my claws on those blood-suckers again!_

_I sincerely doubt I'm wasting time sleeping tonight…_

Sam laughed as he listened to the pack's excited jitters.

…

The dawn was just inching out over the treetops when Sam returned to Emily's. He ducked his head into the living room, expecting to see Emily, still fully-clothed, passed out cold across the sofa. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time. But the sofa, and the armchair, was empty. So she _had_ gone to bed. That was good. Maybe she was getting more relaxed about this whole battle.

Not battle, fight.

Sam frowned.

Not fight…. Confrontation.

He started up the stairs.

That seemed too much too. What about… Excursion! Yes, that was a good, worry-free word. She couldn't worry too much about an _excursion_ taking place in four days time, could she?

Sam turned into her bedroom and saw she was curled up in a tiny ball on her bed. Her head had fallen from the pillow, sandwiched between the mattress and the wall. She'd kicked the covers so the sheets, normally drawn up around her shoulders, had fallen around her waist. She was wearing a tank top, and her bare shoulders looked smooth and warm, her almost bare back exposed by her hair loosely tied up.

They would be married soon. Maybe even in five days. After this was all over.

Sam slipped on some pajama pants and crawled under the sheets beside her. He propped himself on one arm, his other hand tracing a line down from the back of her neck, her spine, then back up along her shoulder and down her arm. She shivered in her sleep. He leaned forward and kissed the nape of her neck.

He could only dream about what could happen in a week. This was so hard, acquiescing to these limitations in a life where one is practically limitless. He could run faster than most cars could drive, could splinter ancient trees almost two feet in diameter, could tear stone apart with his teeth… yet he couldn't make love to his fiancé. Sure there was the pack and Leah and everything else, but the legitimate reasons seemed to float away when it was just him and her, lying in her bed, her smooth, bare skin just inches from his.

The pack was going to hate him tomorrow for these thoughts and new memories. Seth would be as red as a cardinal and Leah might refuse to go running with them. She'd done it before.

Sam kissed his way from her neck to the tip of her shoulder.

At his touch Emily stirred, and her half-asleep eyes fluttered open as she turned to face him.

"You're back," she whispered, her lips curling into a wide smile, her body curling into his. She reached up and pulled his face down to hers. The kiss was slow and pulsating. She was not helping his current predicament. He pulled away so the night beside her would be bearable.

"Yes."

"How was it…?" But her head had already fallen back onto her pillow. Her eyelids were enormously heavy. He could see her fighting to stay awake.

"It was fine, Emily. Go back to sleep."

She glanced up at him once before finally closing her eyes. Sam's fingers found the tie in her hair and pulled it out gently, lacing her hair between his fingers to help her fall asleep.

But she had already done so. He smiled, kissed her forehead and closed his eyes in turn.

…

"I'm going to kill those mother fuckers!" Paul said, flexing his arms. "I can't wait two more days… I want to get at them and rip them apart!"

"Two more days are going to fly by," Sam said with a faint smile. "I'm sure you'll make it.

"It _is_ going to be exciting," Jared shrugged. Paul rolled his eyes at his best friend's coolness.

"Kim's really whipped you, hasn't she?"

"It is a _battle_, you know. We might get hurt. Its not an issue of being _whipped_…"

"Well, I think he's probably the one getting wh…"

"Quil, shut up." He pouted, his dirty joke overruled by half the pack.

"You can tell me!" Collin offered. "I bet it was really funny!"

"I'm good, kid. Thanks," Quil groaned, pushing ahead. Paul, Jared, Embry, and Jacob snickered.

"These lessons with the Cullens _are_ really helping, though" Seth interjected.

"They _aren't_ lessons, Seth. We know how to do it. Its just… _sensory practice_." Embry eyed him carefully.

"Sensory practice? What are we, practicing to see?" Leah had been irritable all night, especially after watching Jasper and Alice fight.

"Practicing by seeing, _Leah_," Embry defended. "Guess who just made sense?"

"Guys…"

But they ignored Sam.

"Woh, Leah, shot down!" Brady snickered.

"Yeah, just wait until you need me to cover you tomorrow, then you'll see who's shot down!"

"Why so cold all the time, huh, Lee-lee?"

There was a millisecond of complete silence before Leah roared, Sam twisted around, and Brady's eyes flew open in fear.

"I'm going to fucking _kill you_!" Leah screamed, turning on Brady. His arms flew up to his face as Leah sprinted at him, jumped, exploding into a wolf mid-arch.

"Leah! Stop!"

She landed on him, Brady becoming wolf-like before she threw him to the ground. She was slashing at him. Brady was desperately trying to push her off, but to no avail. The rest of the pack didn't respond, too shocked to see one of their own viciously assaulting another.

Sam tore off his clothes and phased, running as fast as he could into Leah. The impact sent her flying, her body crashing through the trunk of a tree, the sound of the splintering wood so deafening.

Leah's thoughts mumbled fuzzily in the back of Sam's mind. He realized several others, Jared, Jacob, and Embry, has all phased as well.

_Brady, are you okay? _

Jacob was standing over the wounded wolf, the others standing behind him with their eyes glaring at Leah.

_Just give me a few minutes_. The gashes across his snout, body, and arms were already healing.

_Jesus, Leah, what were you trying to pull? _

_You could have killed him!_

_Leah, are you…._

Sam approached her softly as she struggled to her feet.

_Sam, get away from me._

_Leah, he's young, he doesn't…_

_Shut the hell up! "He's young…" Who gives a shit? Did you hear what he called me? Why are you all trying to protect him?_

_Leah, please…_

_This pack has been the worst thing to ever happen to me. I hope you know that. I hope you all fucking know it. And tell it to the cowards who didn't phase too._

_It's been hard for all of us, Leah…_

_Fuck you, Sam! FUCK YOU. Who else killed their father, huh, because of this stupid fucking pack? Who else lost their boyfriend to their cousin? Are any of you the only fucking girl among a group of disgusting werewolves? This whole imprint shit is just an excuse for you to slobber over girls and who has to listen to it every moment of every day? So fuck all of you! _

_Leah.. It wasn't your fault._

_Go fuck yourself, Sam. Seriously. Emily's not about to do it, is she?_

Then she was gone, running quickly away from them into the forest.

_We should go after her, _Jared thought quietly.

_Let her go. _

_Who knows what she could be doing, Sam! She could be going to lie to the Cullens, to break our cover. She could be…_

_She isn't. She knows how important this is, Jacob. _

Sam walked slowly back to the group, grabbed his sweatpants in his mouth, and phased in the brush.

"Let's get to Emily's before breakfast's cold."

Jacob phased. "We'll wait here with Brady until he's all fixed up."

"Keep someone in form, to listen out for Leah."

Jacob nodded, looking down at the half-mended Brady on the forest floor. Sam approached him and knelt down.

"I know she breaks most of our rules, Brady. But we can't break hers. Enough has been broken there."

…

…

…

A/N:

See? See? See? I'm not a heartless anti-Leah madperson! I really feel for her, but Sam and Emily really can't help themselves, you know?  So anyway, thanks for reading, and please please pleaseeeee review!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The doorbell was far too loud for so early in the morning. The sound seemed to reverberate up the steps, through the door, and into Emily's entire body. Her eyes moved lazily from their unfocused view of the wall to the bedroom door, her cheek lifting several inches off of Sam's chest.

"Sam?" she whispered.

Sam hardly moved, he was so exhausted from the excessive practice and the long, all-night runs. It was barely four in the morning, and he had probably gotten in a half-hour ago. Emily would let him sleep.

She carefully untangled herself from his arms. Kissing Sam's forehead softly, she pulled on her robe. Emily hadn't been sleeping much lately, so the aspect of lost sleep didn't matter much. She had been lying there sleepless for hours. The doorbell wasn't interrupting anything like that.

Emily tiptoed down the stairs, tying the robe closed around her thin waist. Her eyes traveled down to the door. But the front door was already open.

Emily froze, chills running down her spine. She watched as the door swung to and fro, hinges creaking, pushed by a light morning breeze. Outside, the morning was still black, masking anything past the porch light. She was just about to call to Sam when she heard the tiny voice, quiet as a mouse.

"Emily?"

She jumped in the air, swinging to meet the voice. Leah.

She was seated on the couch, the back of her tank top covered in dirt. There were leaves and soil in her short, tangled hair.

"Leah?" Emily walked slowly to the couch. She couldn't figure out what kind of state Leah was in. But Leah looked up at her cousin with devastated eyes, biting her lip to hold back tears. Emily immediately sat on the couch, taking Leah into her arms. And Leah didn't resist.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? Sam's been so worried…"

"You don't have to lie," Leah said quietly.

"I'm not."

"Then I'd rather you not mention him."

Emily swallowed.

"Okay. I've been worried too, Leah. Everyone has."

"I didn't know where else to go. Sorry I just let myself in. I'll pay for the handle."

Emily glanced back at the door, and saw that the handle had been torn from its place and was rolling back and forth slowly on the porch.

"Its okay. I'm glad to have you back."

"I've been so awful to everyone, haven't I?"

Emily didn't answer. She slowly began running her hand over Leah's hair. The sediment tinkled down onto the couch cushions.

"I really have. I've been just awful. I've… I've just tortured Sam… And Embry, he's such a good kid, and I just force him to think about his father all the time."

"They don't hate you, Leah. None of them hate you."

"They do, Emily. You don't know, you aren't in their minds… They hate me. They wish I never joined the pack."

Emily couldn't answer. She could only imagine what those boys were thinking. Leah heard them every time she phased.

"I shouldn't part of this, Emily. I'm unnatural. I'm a freak."

"No, Leah…"

"Do you know why Sam thinks I phased? I caught him once, he let his mind get away from him for just a moment and I heard it. He thinks its because I'm barren." Leah scoffed, laughed, and sobbed at once. "Do people even use that word anymore? _Barren_. But I can't have children, Emily. I'm not a real woman if I can't pop a few babies out, right? I'm entirely masculine. I'm a fucking _son_ of the Quileute tribe…"

"Leah, its just a theory. Who knows…"

"That's probably it though. Emily, he would have been with me. He would have imprinted on me if I could have had his children…if I could have carried on his legacy to the tribe… I would still have him."

Emily's arms slackened. She lifted her cheek away from her cousin's shoulder.

"Emily, wait!" Leah twisted in her arms, looking at Emily face-to-face. "Please don't go. Please. I don't have anyone else. The pack. My brother. My mother… Everyone else…"

"They don't hate you, Leah. Your family just wants to help you. And I just want to help you too. You can talk to me about anything, Leah. Anything but Sam."

"I know. I'm sorry." Leah's eyes fell to the floor.

"I would have… I would have made him stay with you if…"

"If he weren't so damn persistent, right?" A sad smile spread over Leah's face. "Don't worry, with Jared … And Quil… You know, I can feel it too. The way they feel about their imprintees. I know how much… Sam… _feels_ for you…"

"You don't have to talk about it, Leah."

Leah's hand flew up to her face. Her dam had collapsed, and the tears were spilling over. Emily wiped Leah's other cheek. Leah let out an embarrassed laugh.

"I hate crying in front of people."

"I know," Emily said, smiling. Leah returned the smile. Emily had forgotten how well she knew Leah, even now, when things had changed so drastically.

"I should go home. I should go back and be with my Mom before… before today happens."

Emily's stomach dropped.

"I'm glad you came to see me."

Leah nodded. She stood, and Emily's arms feel down to the sofa cushions.

"I'll pay for the door knob, I promise."

"Its okay, really."

Leah stopped on the porch, picked up the knob, and placed it on the small table next to the front door. She looked at Emily again, took in a fortifying breath, then turned and left the porch.

Emily couldn't move from the couch, staring out the open door, trying to organize and control her thoughts into something understandable. Leah. Sam. The battle taking place that day. Little made sense anymore. Everything she could understand hurt too much, so she pushed it away until she was numb. She lost track of time. She barely felt the tangible change from night to morning, saw the ground outside turn from black to blue, but couldn't understand why.

"Emily?"

Sam's voice was frantic from upstairs.

"Emily? Where are you?"

"Downstairs, Sam," she whispered. Her voice seemed foreign. Everything seemed strange now.

She heard his feet hit the floor, hit the stairs painfully. He froze. The door. The most animalistic sound of pain escaped his lips. A low, bitter gasp.

"Sam," she said louder. "Sam, I'm right here!"

She twisted on the couch, looking up at his face. His terrified expression collapsed in relief.

"Jesus Christ!" he said, scooping her up as he fell onto the couch. Normally she would have laughed and teased him, but it scared her this time.

"What's wrong?" she asked, hugging his head closer to her heart. Now this felt familiar. It felt right.

"I thought… I had an this awful nightmare."

She didn't have to guess what had happened. The enemy vampires had come after her somehow. He had come back to find the house silent, empty except for her bloody corpse… She heard him mutter in his sleep the last few nights, whispering things that terrified her, but holding her so close that she couldn't possibly escape.

No, she hadn't slept very well the last few nights.

They remained tangled together, completely still, neither wanting to break the mutual hold. His arms around her waist were far too tight, but she'd rather have him too close than breathe. Especially this morning.

"What time is it?" Emily whispered into his hair. She felt his face move against her collarbone to glance at the television. 7:24 AM.

"I don't want to be anywhere but here."

Tears welled into Emily's eyes but she blinked them away. But she had no chance of masking the sob that racked her body.

"Don't cry, Emily. I couldn't stand it."

"I couldn't stop if I wanted to."

His strong arms tugged her lower. Slowly, he kissed the tear trails away, kissed the scars that those very tears flowed around.

"Its going to be fine," he said, but his voice sounded choked.

"If you say that one more time, I swear to God…"

She kissed him again, slow and gentle. He wrapped both hands around her waist. They lay there together, just holding each other, memorizing the feel of the other person so close.

Suddenly Sam pushed himself up.

"I have something for you. It's supposed to be for the wedding, but… well, just in case… I want you to have it now."

Sam sat up and bent over the side of the couch, opened the drawer that no one ever paid any attention to on the side table, and removed a black ring box. Emily sat up, her arms still draped over his shoulders. At the sight of the box, her hand flew to her chest.

"Sam, you didn't have to…"

"I wanted to, Emily."

Despite their precarious financial situation, despite their debts and money troubles, Emily knew she would never give up that ring.

Set on a thin band, the stone was small. She doubted it was a diamond either, but it looked like one and that was good enough. On each side of the cubic zirconium were two tiny yellow stones. They looked like Sam's eyes, that is, his mesmerizing wolfish eyes.

It was the most delicate thing she'd ever seen.

"Its beautiful, Sam."

He didn't answer, but simply took the box back from her gently. His hands seemed far too huge to handle such a ring, far too powerful for such a beautiful, thin little band, but he managed to pluck it from the box and slide it onto Emily's finger without crushing it. When the band hit the base of her finger, an uneven breath waved out from her lips.

The metal was cold. It felt strange when she reached up with that same hand and touched Sam's cheek, but his heat quickly melted the chill of the metal.

"Come back to me," she whispered. She kissed him again. She couldn't seem to stop doing so. Suddenly, a fist banged against the backdoor.

"I have to go," he said, resting his forehead against hers.

"I know."

His jaw jutted forward to kiss her again. The back door rustled again with the force of Jared's knocking.

"Sam?" he called.

"One second!" He turned back to Emily. He was suddenly frantic. "I'll be back soon. Lock all the doors…" He glanced at the front door. "Go to your bedroom. Lock the door. My rifle's in the closet. Bullets are on the shelf. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Okay. Okay, Sam…"

"I love you. I'll be back soon." His eyes were low, sad.

"I love you too."

He kissed Emily's forehead, then disappeared into the kitchen. The sound of the screen bouncing in its doorframe was the worst sound in the world.

…

_Where _is _Jacob?_

_Haven't heard from him since this morning._

_Bella?_

_Yeah. They… Well, I'm sure he won't be able to stop thinking about it when he phases so you'll hear about it. _The secondary memory, faded and incomplete, played within their minds. But it included the main elements. Jacob's trick. Her acquiescence. Their mutual kiss.

Sam sighed. _I knew nothing good was going to come out of that particular position. I'm sure he'll phase soon though, and we can get in contact. But Seth is still there, correct? _

_Yeah, Seth's there._

_This place is going to be fine. Can I please come down and fight with you?_

Sam huffed.

_In the middle of a report, Seth. Shh. Go on, Jared. Brady and Colin? _

_On the reservation. Opposite ends, where the main road comes in and out. They are ready for anything._

_Perfect._

_Yeah, we're both here! Nothing yet. I think the rez will be out of the way._

_Yeah it's really quiet over here._

_Hopefully it will stay that way._

_By the way, this sucks. I just want you to know that. In case I haven't made that clear._

_Seth, please be quiet._

_Well it does._

_Seth! Listen to Sam!_

Sam stopped. The pack froze in place behind him.

_Leah?_

_I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. And not just about the door._

Leah pushed through the trees in front of them, her head low and her eyes on the ground. Her tail was curled between her legs, and she approached them with slow, deliberate, weary steps. The memory of that morning, of breaking the door and seeing Emily, her knowledge of the theory, then running to her mother's, played unbridled in her mind.

_I'm sorry, Brady. I'm sorry for everything._

Distantly, Brady forgave her._ It's okay, Leah. I shouldn't have said that._

Sam's eyes curved upward, his wolfish jaw relaxing into a smile.

_It's good to have you back. _

_Just in time, Leah. _The pack seemed to relax their prejudice on her for a moment. Their forgiving acceptance blasted toward Leah like a sand cloud.

She raised her head.

_Thanks, guys_. Her tone was still sad, but she trotted behind Sam. This was where she had to be, not where she wanted to be. But she really had no choice.

Now complete, except for the missing Beta, the pack followed Sam to the edge of the main clearing, back where they had watched Jasper and the others practice. Their Alpha changed back to a human quickly, throwing on his shorts.

"Let's go."

The sun was just rising over the trees' canopies when the wolf pack pushed into the clearing. The Cullens, with the exception of the one named Edward, stood together in the center. They moved simultaneously, turning together to watch the pack enter.

"Hello, Sam Uley."

"Dr. Cullen."

"The newborns are on their way," Jasper said, stepping forward. He was the leader today.

"They will follow the path?" Sam asked.

"Yes," said the small female. What was her name? Alice?

"Then we will leave you here and go north to ambush them from the rear, as we planned. We'll chase the stragglers into the meadow, then join you here to finish them off."

"Sounds good."

"Sounds good _and short_," Carlisle added with a weary smile. The Cullens had been glaring at Sam and the pack since they entered the meadow. Especially the blonde female. But at Carlisle's declaration, they glanced at him in approval.

"They should be arriving soon, so you better get a move on," Jasper said.

Sam bristled. He didn't care how much experience Jasper had. He had never taken kindly to brisk instructions. Especially from a vampire.

"We will meet you here soon." The rest of the Cullens nodded.

Sam jogged back to the pack. Once within the tree line, he phased.

_Embry and Quil stay in the meadow. The rest of us…Let's go._

_Jacob's on his way._

_Where should I go?_

_Jacob! Finally! You should have been giving me the morning report._

_Yeah, well, my morning was pretty intense._

_So I've heard. Anyway, Stay here with Quil and Embry._

_Yes sir, Alpha Sam!_

Sam rolled his eyes. _Don't call me sir. Focus, Jacob. This isn't a game._

_May not be a game… but it _is_ going to be fun! _

_Well I'm glad you're so confident. Let's get going._

The pack split, Sam's group sprinting through the woods, the scent of vampires growing stronger and stronger as the wind blew past their nostrils. Jacob, Quil, and Embry positioned themselves at the edge of the meadow. With Seth keeping watch over Bella up on the mountain, and Colin and Brady patrolling the rez border, the pack was feeling confident and prepared.

Sam, Leah, Jared, and Paul traveled in a huge arch, their strides together, their mind melding together. Many parts into one body. And that body had one singular purpose.

_Any minute now. Remember, don't attack alone. _

Then there they were, the uneven stream of newborns, ravenous for Bella's blood. They were racing ahead toward the meadow, dancing around the trees and ferns that Bella had touched the day before. The wolves closed in.

_Strength in numbers! Charge them!_

Paul charged ahead eagerly, launching into the air and tackling an unsuspecting male one from behind. His teeth clamped down on the vampire's neck, and soon the thing was in pieces. Jared joined him, ripping limb from limb in a bestial fury. The entire pack felt the kill, felt the power, the adrenaline from it.

Sam and Leah closed off four other vampires. The newborns screamed at the sight of the huge wolves. They twisted in place only to spot their former coven member's body in pieces on the ground, with two angry wolves among the pieces. The plan was working well. The pack had surprise on their side.

The newborns were fast, but the pack was right on their heels. Suddenly one stopped, her nose lifting in the air. She inhaled fully, her red eyes glowing in the opposite direction of the meadow. She smelled Bella. The real Bella. She went sprinting off, her legs moving so quickly that they were a blur.

_She knows! She's going after Bella!_

_I've got her._ Leah burst after her. Her need for approval, for acceptance, surged through her muscles as she ran. Her long, fast strides became longer and faster. Leah chased the vampire down, tackling her to the ground. By the time Sam arrived to help, the vampire was writhing on the ground, armless. Together they finished her off.

_I could have gotten her myself. _Leah launched herself back toward Paul and Jared. Sam scowled.

_The rest have entered the meadow_, Jacob informed them.

The four wolves surrounded the remaining vampires. Two women, one of them a teenage girl, stood hand-in-hand. The third, a large male, whipped around them with teeth bared.

_Separate and annihilate! _

The male suddenly jumped toward Sam. His stone-hard arms wound around his neck, his teeth bared. Sam rolled, desperate to crush this thing. He was not going to be taken down by one of these despicable amateurs.

The male's teeth sunk into Sam's shoulder, and the useless venom was cold into Sam's veins before the ancient magic in his blood vaporized it. But the pain was still there in the wound. It infuriated him.

The teenage one had run off and escaped for the moment, and Jared had destroyed the other. Leah and Paul ran to Sam and knocked the vampire from his death grip, grabbing hold of his legs and pulling. The limbs ripped from their sockets, and the vampire cried out in agony as he let go. Sam whipped around, snarling, and swiped his claws across the male's chest. Another cry. Whimpering.

"Please, please…"

Sam's jaws clenched around his head and pulled. The whimpering ended.

Sam spit the head out in disgust.

_Sam! Sam!_

_Gather the pieces together. What, Brady? _

_Two vampires ran by here. I couldn't catch them. They're headed in Bella's direction!_

_Seth, did you hear that?_

There was a pause.

_Seth!_

_Edward was listening. Just ran off with Bella. I'm with them. _

_Fuck…_ Paul moaned.

_Sam! Sam! _

_What?_

_One of them was a female. She had red hair._

Sam froze. It was her. The one they had been chasing all this time. Sam felt his blood begin to boil.

_We have to go after them. Help Seth. Who knows if Edward and Seth can fend both of them off while looking after Bella?_

_Let's get to the clearing first, Paul. That's the plan. Then we'll head up to Seth, wherever he ends up._

_Seth needs help! _Leah growled._ We need to go help him! _

_We are going to the clearing first, Leah. That's an order._

They raced to the clearing. Leah's mind was a mess of worry, praying for her little brother.

The meadow that seemed so huge back then was a definite battlefield, complete with a huge bonfire burning in the middle. But despite the crackling roar of the fire, the sound of the battling vampires was deafening. From the collision of their stony skin into the other's came the sound of crashing boulders. Then came their screams and battle cries, and the snarling of the newborn bloodsuckers.

Embry and Quil had together taken down one vampire and were currently surrounding and ambushing their second. Jacob had destroyed two as well. Carlisle was wrestling with one, the teenage girl from earlier, but obviously had no intention of hurting her. Maybe he was saving her to hear the whole story after the battle was over. Probably try to convince her to be the next Cullen, no doubt.

The rest of the Cullens were battling their own newborns. Emmett ripped his apart, then barreled over to aid the blonde one. Together they finished hers off too.

The pack had killed their half, and the Cullens needed no help.

_Scout the perimeter,_ Sam ordered. _Make sure we got every single one._

The pack sprinted to the edge. Sam trotted behind them, pivoting his head from side to side to make sure his pack was completely safe from surprise ambushes.

One after another, each vampire defeated their newborn adversary. The Cullens were throwing body parts in the flames. The smell was unbearable.

But despite the smell and the ache of the healing bruises in his back, Sam couldn't have been happier. They had fought them off without causality! There were bites and cuts and bruises, maybe a scratch or two, but the pack was whole and healthy. All the worrying, all the fear for he future, had been a waste. Relief melted throughout Sam's body.

Suddenly a howl.

_Leah! _

A vampire had burst through the foliage, toward the unsuspecting Leah. Jacob had jumped in his way. The werewolf and newborn went flying. Jacob's extended back legs crashed through a thick tree trunk. The crunch of a shattered bone.

_I can't... I can't get him off me._ His thoughts were slow, weighted with the pain from his leg.

Sam raced toward him. The vampire clung onto Jacob, a sadistic grin on his face. With all his strength, he squeezed. Sam heard the bones break as if they were his own. Jacob's tortured cry seemed to echo through their minds.

_Jacob!_

_What's happened?_

The vampire hopped from him and took off into the forest.

_Follow him!_

_I've got him! He's mine!_

_Leah, not alone! _He began to chase after her.

_Sam! Help him!_ Seth suddenly screamed. _Help him!_

Sam growled in indecision, but finally turned toward Jacob.

_Someone, go after Leah!_ Paul and Jared took off.

Sam wheeled back to Jacob. Blood was everywhere. White shards of bone had ripped through his hairy hide.

Jacob was unresponsive.

_Get Carlisle._

Even since changing, the pack had always taken their power to heal for granted. Cuts and scraps were gone within the hour. They threw each other around all the time, and nothing had ever broken. Maybe a few cracked ribs, but the next day rendered them perfectly healthy. But Jacob was a mess of broken bones and blood and matted fur. He might not be able to live long enough for his body to heal.

The doctor appeared at Sam's side.

"What happened?"

Sam couldn't answer. Somewhere far away, Jacob's attacker was ripped to shreds.

"Carlisle! The Volturi are coming!" the one Alice shouted across the meadow.

The doctor, bent over Jacob's unconscious body, looked to Sam. "We need to get Jacob and the rest of the pack out of here." Sam didn't know what the Volturi were, but he didn't care at the moment. They needed to get Jacob somewhere safe to heal.

"Burn the pieces!" Jasper's order seemed to echo through the meadow.

"Bring him somewhere, and I'll come to you. He's healing quickly, but it doesn't look like the bones are going to heal correctly… I'll find you after this is all settled."

Sam didn't like the sound of that, but he had no ability to argue.

"Try as hard as you can to get him to phase back into human form. He'll be easier to treat that way. Easier to realign the bones. I'm not a veterinarian."

Carlisle stood quickly, patted Sam's shoulder, then rushed back to his family.

_Sam, I…_

_We'll talk about that later, Leah. For now, you and Paul, go back to the woods and gather all the pieces of the vampires and bring them to the meadow. The Cullens will see that they are all burned. The rest, help me bring Jacob to Emily's._

…

…

…

A/N: Man that was a long chapter… Whew! I just wanted to quickly thank all of my wonderful reviewers… Its by your support and guidance that this story continues. Thank you:

Little Black Dresses

MainlyMaddison

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Dreamcast girl

"Hope"

jc55

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Thank you so much for reading, and please review! I would love to hear suggestions, favorite parts, anything. Thank you again!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Another howl, this one louder, longer than before. Emily's head jerked toward the window, her fingers, knuckles shining white, tensed even further around the barrel of the rifle in her hand.

"Come home…" she whispered, clenching her eyes closed. "Just come home, please…"

It had been two hours of this waiting. Her head fell back against the wall and she opened her eyes again. Her neck, extended as it was, felt naked and exposed. The perfect position for their enemy. She shuddered and pushed her chin down, farther into her blanket.

As soon as Sam left, she had raced up the stairs. She slammed the bedroom door closed and locked it, but it seemed thin and destructible still.

The chair! Emily had wanted to sell that old desk in the corner of her room, the one she never used, but she had been glad for it that morning. She dragged the chair to the door and shoved it underneath the door handle. Emily never knew if that really worked or not, but they were always doing that in movies, and it seemed to work pretty well there.

The wind had picked up that morning, and the broken door downstairs swung occasionally in and out, the creaking usually preceding a momentous slam as it hit its door frame. She learned to stop jumping at each crash. She realigned the rifle with the door.

Emily had then thrown open the closet door and found the rifle and the box of bullets on the shelf, beneath Sam's sweaters that he now no longer needed. She slid two bullets into the gun and cocked it. Her grandfather used to sit on his porch and shoot squirrels that wandered into her grandmother's garden. He taught her how to use a rifle when she was very young. She didn't know if bullets worked on vampires, but a rifle seemed far more trustworthy than a wooden spike. And she didn't have to be too close to pump a renegade vampire with lead.

Then she grabbed the blanket from her bed, Sam's bed, their bed, and wrapped it around her shoulders to protect against the chill of the morning. She sat in the corner of her room, up against the desk, and pointed the rifle at the door. That was when the first howl came.

The pack's howling had been echoing through the woods all morning, inspiring chills of fear to travel almost continuously up Emily's spine. For hours, she had no way to decipher just want these howls meant, nor if they were signals of victory or dismal defeat. If they celebrated success or mourned a lost soldier…

Her arms and legs were cramped. They ached with tension, but Emily could not move. Every moment seemed to last a hundred years. She felt the blood sinking out of her face, down into her accelerated heartbeat to keep it going.

"Emily! Emily, quick!"

She jumped, immediately clutching the rifle. The voice was muffled. She couldn't tell who it was.

"He's hurt! He's hurt!"

Her heart froze. She threw the blanket off and tossed the chair aside as she raced down from her room, rifle in hand.

She passed through the living room into the kitchen, watching the flurry of activity in her backyard through the screen door.

Suddenly a muscular arm tore the door open viciously. Emily's stopped, inhaling violently in terror. Then his face and body appeared.

Sam.

"Emily, you're…"

Emily ran full speed into his arms. He caught her, holding her with strength that he normally shied away from. Sam took in the smell of her hair, grasped her waist and squeezed her to him. Her arms had wound themselves around his neck, her fingers gripping his neck and shoulder for dear life. He forgot how strong she was sometimes. For just a moment, everything was perfect.

"I thought…" Emily shuddered against his neck, "They said 'He's hurt…' and…"

Sam set her down slowly, one hand brushing runaway hair from across her face.

"Its Jacob, Emily."

The relief at having Sam home vanished instantly in grief. This wasn't over. Someone else was still wounded.

"I need your help. We need bandages. Get the sheets, anything. We just need to stop the bleeding."

Emily nodded and tore herself away from Sam. She set the rifle down on the kitchen table and ran back up the stairs. The linen closet upstairs was soon ransacked, the old sheets and rags ripped from their shelves. Emily pushed into the backyard, sheets cradled in her arms, but the sight of Jacob stopped her on the concrete steps.

Jacob lay surrounded by the rest of the pack. He had finally phased back, and each broken bone and bruise was clearly visible in his seemingly weak human body. He was covered in blood. Bones poked out of his thigh. His eyes were closed, blood leaking from his nose and mouth.

"Jesus…" Her knees felt weak, and she thought she might fall, faint even…

"Emily, tear the sheets!"

Her focus was ripped from Jacob's body to the two werewolves approaching her. The younger ones, Colin and Brady. They took the sheets from her outstretched arms and helped her tear the sheets into strips. Emily kept glancing at Jacob. His blood was splattered in the dirt.

…

"_Where is Carlisle_?" Sam shouted in frustration.

"Do you want me to get him?" Leah asked.

"No. Stay here. Its not safe there now," Sam said. He leaned over Jacob's body.

"Fuck! Hurry up! His skin is healing around the bone!" Quil shouted. And so it was. Sam watched as the skin seemed to crawl around it, the rough edges curling in when it made contact with the hard white bone. Blood continued to gush out of the open wounds. Jacob's face was growing pale. His body couldn't heal fast enough.

"We need to push the bone back in," Jared said in a low voice.

Sam didn't know if that was right or not. He'd never broken a bone, or known anyone that broke a bone, like this. Was it okay to touch it? _Where the fuck was Dr. Cullen? _

"Sam!"

Their Alpha groaned.

"I don't think we're supposed to touch it…"

"I swear to God, Sam. He's going to bleed his entire body out if we don't close him up now! Let Carlisle focus on the details!"

The pack had so much faith in Sam. They expected him to always know what to do, what to say, how to lead. They had forgotten that Sam was barely a few years older than them, hadn't gone to college, and certainly knew nothing about doctoring. Yet there they were, looking to him to make Jacob better. Sam groaned. There wasn't time to wait for Carlisle. At least Jacob wouldn't die of blood loss.

"Hold him down," Sam muttered. Quil and Embry kneeled next to their friend's shoulders and pressed down. Paul held down the leg. Sam touched the shard. Even unconscious, Jacob moaned in pain.

"Just do it," Leah urged. In one quick thrust, Sam forced the bone down.

Jacob's eyes flew open, screaming in pain. Quil and Embry grabbed him as he shook, crying out with all he had. Behind him, Sam heard Colin move toward Emily.

"Emily, are you okay? Emily?"

Sam glanced behind him for a moment. Emily was pale with nausea and fear, her eyes pleading him for something. For what she pleaded for, however, the possibilities were far too vast and numerous for Sam to be able to chose the correct one.

"He's here!"

Sam looked up to watch Carlisle appear from the woods. A female vampire, Esme, appeared behind him with a huge duffel bag. Splints and bandages poked out from the open zipper, as if they had been stuffed into the bag in a hurry.

"_What did you just do?_" the doctor ordered, irritated.

"The skin was healing… the bone was still sticking out…"

Carlisle fell to his knees, and Esme set the bag down and began removing materials. Jacob eyed him wearily, his mouth clenched against the painful cries pushing against his teeth.

"Never touch a fracture! Never! You have just caused more harm than if the bone were still breaking out!"

"He's bleeding to death! The bone wasn't letting the skin heal!"

Carlisle's jaw tightened. "He could still bleed internally… He could still… Ugh! We don't have time for this!"

Carlisle bent over Jacob's body, touching the healing bones with his slight fingers. Jacob winced in pain.

"The bones aren't healing correctly." The vampire rolled his sleeves up. "We need to re-break the healing fractures."

Jacob's eyes shot open. "_No!_"

He was suddenly in a frenzy, fighting as hard as he could to be free of the pack's grasp.

"I'm sorry, Jacob, but otherwise your bones will be deformed."

"No! Fuck no! No no no!"

"You don't really have a choice," Sam said softly. Brady and Collin abandoned tearing the sheets and joined the rest of the pack around Jacob. "Hold him down."

"Get away from me! Sam! Get him away! _Don't touch me_!"

Sam anchored Jacob's leg into the dirt. He glanced at the doctor.

"If you cause him any more pain that necessary…"

"I'll try my best," Carlisle answered. Then he turned to the struggling body. His arm bent above him, as if he were about to elbow Jacob in the ribs.

"No! Carlisle! Get away from me! Sam!"

The doctor's elbow flew down, landing on Jacob's upper arm. The crack was so loud that Emily cried out behind them.

Jacob screamed in agony.

But the splint was already in Carlisle's hands, and he worked quickly to secure it.

"Jesus Christ…" Emily whispered.

"Go inside, Emily," Sam called behind him. But she didn't move, anchored to her spot in horror. He turned around. "Please, Emily. You don't have you see this."

"Can't… can't you give him some morphine or something?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"He's lost too much blood. And it wouldn't work fast enough to really have any effect right now." He looked at Jacob. "I'm sorry."

Another crack. This time, a rib.

"Stop! Jesus Christ, stop!" Jacob's friends' grip tightened around him. Embry squeezed the tears out of his eyes quickly, and they rolled down just as fast.

"It will all be over soon, man," Quil promised, his voice choked.

The third crack sent Jacob back into unconsciousness.

Carlisle worked quickly. Sam had to admit, these vampires had amazing reflexes. His hands moved so quickly that Sam lost track of their movements.

After the final re-break, Carlisle sagged back onto his heels. Esme handed him a glass bottle and a needle, and he measured the medicine carefully before inserting the needle into Jacob's upper arm.

"What's that?" Paul asked, still viciously suspicious.

"To help him sleep. Hopefully during the worst of the pain."

"Is he going to be okay?" Quil asked. Carlisle disposed of the needle and massaging his brow.

"He should be fine," Carlisle finally said. "I gave him a bigger dose than usual. The heat of your blood may burn through it more quickly than an average human."

"How long is he going to be out?"

"I don't know exactly. At least a day."

Sam stood and tried to contain himself. His eyes drifted to Emily. She was standing a few feet away from the pack, and Esme was with her.

"Are you alright, Emily?" the vampire woman asked. Emily looked up at her in confusion, as if unsure whether to be disgusted or be grateful. Esme's cold hand rested on Emily's shoulder, and she flinched. Esme removed her hand gently, her arm falling to her side.

"I'm fine." Her voice was little more than a whisper. Her arms were wrapped around her thin body. "Thank you."

Carlisle zipped closed the bag of excess splints and slung it around his shoulder as he stood.

"He'll be fine, Sam. But he needs a lot of rest. Preferably outside on a field of dirt." The vampire's smile played on his lips. Sam glanced at each member of the pack. They were still gathered around Jacob. They glanced up from their strapped up Beta to receive their next order.

"Bring him to Billy's," Sam said, standing as Carlisle did. "Put him in the bed of my truck, and we'll drive him over."

The pack lifted Jacob gingerly and began walking around the edge of the house. Emily rushed to join them, taking hold of the unconscious boy's hand with her own.

Esme moved next to Carlisle.

"I hope this impediment on the contract can be excused?" Carlisle asked, watching Jacob and the rest of the pack disappear.

"Of course."

Carlisle nodded, and motioned to Esme to leave.

"Dr. Cullen!" The two vampires twisted back to look at Sam. He exhaled.

"Thank you."

"We _are_ allies, Sam Uley. It was the least I could do."

He held out his hand and Sam shook it. Their grips were a little too firm. Then the two vampires took off together through the trees.

Sam hurried to his truck. Embry and Quil were just sitting on either side of their friend. Jacob's feet lay limp on the open lip of the truck. His two friends pulled him farther in, and Jared pushed the lip up into its locked position.

The engine started quickly. Emily slid into the passenger's seat, still shaken.

"Meet us there," Sam ordered the rest of the pack. They nodded, sprinting into the woods.

Sam gingerly backed the car into the road, then pushed the gear into first. The truck was old and the street was unkempt, so the ride was going to be far bumpier than he would have liked, despite how hard as he tried to make the ride fluid and gentle. But each pothole seemed to be feet deep. The speed bumps and humps seemed to make the entire truck bounce. And each turn, no matter how slow, seemed to send the entire contents of the truck flying to one end or the other. Sam positively growled in anger as he hit yet another pothole.

"Sam."

He glanced at her. She looked sick, literally ill, and shaken. His hand left the stick shift, slipping around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him on the seat. He kissed the top of her head.

Emily interlaced her fingers with his.

"He's going to be fine," he said.

"I know. I know." She exhaled quietly. "I know."

She kissed his bare, dusty shoulder, and somehow he pulled her in tighter.

"You're home," she whispered softly. He felt her smile, squeezed her hand in his.

"I told you I'd be back for you, baby."

…

…

…

A/N: Before you remark on the corniness of the use of the word "Baby," let me explain that that is a bit of a shout out to my friend who hates the term and wrote an entire poem bashing men who use the word baby… and I wanted to show how its still cute  And which character to showcase masculine romance than Sam Uley?

Anyway, please review! Any kind of review is so helpful! I would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you for reading! So many sentences ending with exclamation points!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Oh shit." Sam sighed as he pulled up to the Black residence. "Charlie's here."

Bella's father's cop car was parked directly in front of the house. It should have been parked at the marina.

"Aren't they supposed to be fishing?"

"Yes," Sam growled, opening the door with a little too much force. Emily started toward the house for damage control. But Sam's noisy truck and Jacob's incoherent shouts had thoroughly announced their arrival.

After a particularly large pothole, Jacob had woken up again. He cursed when he had enough breath to speak. The vampire's medicine, which was supposed to last a day, had knocked Jacob out for a grand total of five minutes. However, the left over seemed to have the effect of laughing gas. Jacob's moans of pain were indistinguishable from his unfocused groans as Embry and Quil began removing him from the trunk.

The front door banged open, Billy trying to maneuver his chair out the door.

"What happened? What happened, Sam?" he yelled. Charlie appeared behind him just as Billy began pumping himself down the handicapped ramp.

Sam came around the back of the truck. He hadn't thought of an alibi… He hadn't thought he'd need one. For a moment, he spotted the garage behind the house. He remembered Jacob's thoughts about Bella, building the motorcycle…

"Motorcycle accident. Log in the road," Sam said shortly over his shoulder as he opened the trunk and helped the other boys unload Jacob's broken body. Every movement spurned another explicit exclamation.

"Stupid excuse," Quil murmured.

"You think of a better one," Sam whispered. The rest of the pack had arrived and rushed to help bring the injured Beta in. Jacob wasn't giving anyone an easy ride. Not after what they had allowed Carlisle to do.

"Is he going to be okay?" Charlie had caught up with Billy and was now pushing him toward the car.

"Yeah, he's fine. He'll be fine."

"Wasn't my fault… He just jumped out of nowhere…" Jacob wheezed.

"He?"

"The log. Seemed to just jump out of nowhere…" Jared coughed.

"What was he doing without a helmet? Motorcycles are bad enough…" Charlie started to spew. Paul rolled his eyes.

"Motorcycles!" Jacob wheezed. It would have been bitter laughter. "Yeah, bet you're glad she loves Cullen instead of me today, huh Charlie!"

"Jacob, shut up," Embry hissed. They quickened their pace, and soon Jacob's cursing was muffled by the closed door.

"Billy, do you have chicken broth or anything?" Emily called from the front door.

"Campbell's. Pantry."

Emily nodded. "Right."

"We already brought him to the hospital," Sam said, explaining the splints. "Carlisle…"

"Carlisle!" Billy huffed.

"…said he would be fine."

"Billy, Cullen's a good doctor." The old man scoffed at his old friend.

"He said Jacob just needs some rest. He'll be better in no time. Cullen's going to be by later, to check on him."

Billy glared at Sam. "In my house? He'll be in _my house_?"

"Who else do you want to be looking after him?" Sam hissed.

Charlie looked at them, confused. Billy clenched his jaw. "The only time. The last time."

Sam nodded.

Billy looked up at Charlie. "Sorry, friend, but I think I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"I understand. I hope Jacob gets better… And learns some sense." Charlie shook Billy's hand, then Sam's, before driving off.

…

Carlisle showed up later that afternoon, better stocked, and gave Jacob enough painkillers to kill a normal person. Billy had stayed in the living room, arms crossed, hate written across his face. He visibly eased up when the vampire's car rolled out of the driveway and out of sight.

Sam and Emily had stayed all day, while the rest of the pack came and went. To be extra careful, they had been running in pairs around the reservation. After the newborns, and the Volturi's arrival, the forest reeked of vampire.

After finding little to no real food at the Black residence for dinner, Sam and Emily left briefly to pick up some Chinese food. When they returned, a red truck was parked in the driveway.

"Jesus! Is the whole Swan family bent on destroying our cover? What is she _doing here_?"

"She helped us, Sam," Emily said, taking his hand.

"She's…. Jesus, if you could just see what she's been doing to him. I see everything she does… She's _toying_ with him. Its sick, really sick," Sam practically spat.

"I'm sure it's more complicated than that," Emily whispered. "You had to choose once too."

"Its not…" Sam stopped. "Its not the same."

The silence wasn't as uncomfortable was it had been before. Emily exhaled softly.

"Let's go inside."

Sam grabbed the cardboard box of food and Emily opened the front door for him. Billy sat in the living room, where they had left him, watching television. He barely looked up when they arrived.

"_She's_ up there," he said, his voice gruff with disdain. The tension that had disappeared with Carlisle had returned.

"Bella?" Emily tried.

"Yes. _Bella_." Her name was sour on Billy's tongue. Emily sighed. She understood the girl. Though would her heart still twist in her chest for Bella if Emily hadn't won her own three-person war?

They heard the bedroom door open and close. The sound of soft crying wafted down the stairs, followed closely with creaking footsteps.

Sam stood with the box in his hands. Emily pushed him.

"Kitchen. Go to the kitchen," she whispered. If she knew Sam at all, she knew he was going to say something inappropriate to Bella. Something unnecessary. He groaned and stalked into the next room.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Emily asked as the girl hit the landing.

Bella met Emily's gaze for a moment.

"Fine," she said, the word swelling with emotion as she opened the door and closed it behind her.

"Gone for good, hopefully," Billy muttered, changing the channel. Emily bit her lip in frustration, but said nothing. It would do no good insulting Chief Billy Black, even when he was being his rare, pig-headed self.

The three consumed their dinner silently. Quil and Embry stopped by to see Jacob and ended up eating the most of the food leftover. Emily had anticipated this and hid a box of noodles and a few sticks of beef in the fridge for Jacob. If he was hungry. But he didn't ask for anything all night, or the next day. Every time Emily went up to visit him, he ignored her, only stared out his window with wet, red eyes.

…

The wedding was in two weeks, and Emily had never been so busy in her entire life. Where did she think she could plan a wedding in two weeks? She liked to think that living through the past few years had expelled her previous naivety, but she just hadn't realized how much went into something like this. Thankfully, so much was falling into place: the Council had practically forced them to use the main hall on the reservation for the reception. Thankfully, things like reserving a church, buying a dress, and ordering flowers were practically moot: Emily was planning a traditional wedding. A Quileute wedding. But some things, like rings, and the Best Man and Maid of Honor, were still quite necessary.

The Best Man would have been Jacob, but the boy had been unreachable. Sam had allotted the pack a time of rest, but most of them continued keeping up traditions, visiting Emily and Sam on the normal nights, bringing movies and eating the house dry. But Jacob never showed. He slept at home, then wandered throughout the woods, across First Beach, up on the cliffs, alone. He didn't want the pack's company. Whenever they phased to find him, he reverted to his human body.

But they all figured he'd shake it off. He just needed time to grieve, and then he would be back, sillier, happier than ever. Their Jacob, not this strange boy he'd become.

They didn't realize how bad it had gotten until it was too late. Until he was already gone.

A week before the wedding, Leah came pounding on Emily's door.

"Jacob's gone!"

"What? What happened?" Sam asked as he tore the door open. Leah stood before him frantically, clothes disheveled and hair mussed.

"I think I just chased Jacob out of Washington state."

"Wait. What?"

Emily stood from the kitchen table, where she had been trying to decide on a caterer that wasn't too expensive.

"I was… Well I saw him sitting up by the cliffs and I was talking to him about Bella…"

"Talking to him about Bella… I'm sure it was really therapeutic stuff," Sam snarled, pushing past her outside.

"What happened?" Emily asked, coming to the door. "Sam, where are you going?"

Leah huffed. "Sam, he's gone. He got really pissed off and… well he just started running. He's still running. He won't listen to me, or Embry or Paul."

Sam was already tearing off his shirt, running into the woods. "Sam, he's _gone_!" Leah called, running after him.

…

As soon as Sam phased, the stress and sadness emanating off of Jacob's thoughts bombarded every one of his senses. He tried to keep his own head amid the chaos of Jacob's mind.

_Jacob, where are you going, man?_

_Leave me alone!_

_Listen to me! Where are you going?_

_Anywhere. Everywhere. Who cares?_

_Jacob, calm down._

_I need to get away from here. I need to leave._

_Jacob, look, I wasn't…_

_It wasn't you, Leah. It's me. I'm not good enough for…_ Sam saw Bella for a moment, but the picture was gone in a flash_. I'm not good enough for the pack. _

_You're perfect for the pack, Jacob. _Leah whined. _Come back, please._

_I'm not coming back. Don't try to find me. Don't look for me. Don't track me down.._

_Jacob, please…_

But there was no answer. Jacob wasn't thinking in sentences, in words anymore. He had fallen into his animalistic instincts so quickly, almost disturbingly so. There was simply pain coming from him. Just pain, and the smell of passing trees. Sam could have followed him. But he stopped running. Sam phased back, standing naked in the woods, looking out in the trees.

"Fuck," he mumbled, his hands pressed across his eyes. He heard padding behind him: Leah had caught up. He looked behind him, saw the easily apparent disappointment on her wolfish face. But there was nothing else he could do.

He let Jacob go.

…

"Hold still!" Sue Clearwater ordered half-jokingly. "How am I supposed to do you up right if you keep fidgeting?"

"Sorry," Emily said. "I'm just so nervous." Sue smoothed her hair gently, then pushed one last bobby pin in.

"It will all pass, my dear. You and Sam… You really are perfect for each other," Emily's mother said, entering the bedroom. Emily's eyes lit up, seeing the gift her mother held in her hands.

"Is that it, Mom?" Emily's mother smiled.

"My mother wore this when she married your grandfather," Emily's mother said softly, the beaded headdress in her hands, the white and colored beads pouring out of her palms like water.

"Mom, its perfect."

Her mother placed it on her forehead, took a moment to adjust it.

"You look beautiful," her aunt said, turning Emily to face a mirror in the bedroom.

Emily smiled when she saw her reflection. She had never been one for tradition and legends until she met Sam and the pack. Her ideal wedding had always included white puffy dresses and flower bouquets. But she knew that a traditional Quileute wedding was necessary. This was how she wanted to marry Sam. It made no sense to ignore the same traditions that had brought them together on the day that they truly became one.

Besides, she still had a white dress on, though it had neither a large skirt nor a tight bodice. The necklaces, earrings, and beaded over-dress; the bracelets piled on her forearms, the belt around her waist, the anklets. She felt as if she were looking back at a woman who lived far in the past, hundreds of years ago. Yet it was her future that began in these clothes. She began to tear up.

"Don't cry! I'll have to do your face all over again!" her aunt laughed.

Her mother and aunt led her out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Leah, dressed in a modern black dress and high heels, positively cooed when she saw her.

"Emily, you look amazing."

"Thanks," Emily said. "You look gorgeous." And it was true. Leah had always been more beautiful than Emily was, and would continue to be more beautiful. But today, Emily felt radiant. Even sultry Leah and the reflection of those jagged scars could not stop Emily from feeling perfect.

Her mother wheeled around from the front door.

"We're going to be late! Let's get a move on!"

Emily, one hand on the side of her headdress, ran out of the house and dipped herself carefully into the backseat of the car.

The wedding had become a reservation occasion. Sam Uley, tribe protector, was getting married, and almost everyone had been invited or had decided to show up anyway. Even on the rez, a real traditional wedding was a rare occurrence, and no one was going to miss this. Emily bounced in her seat, the butterflies still fluttering about her chest. Leah sat next to her, her face blank until she caught Emily's eye. A small smile flashed across her lips. But her eyes remained blank.

When they arrived, her mother and aunt helped Emily out of the car.

A crowd had assembled around the hall, and Emily grabbed onto her garb more securely. This was going to be a struggle.

"The bride is here! Everybody MOVE!" Sue yelled. The crowd immediately turned and parted. Never mind.

Emily watched as the last person stepped away. Standing there, at the end of the man-made aisle, was Sam. He was dressed traditionally as well, looking so beautiful, standing tall and proud, his entire face lit up with his smile. Emily could do nothing but smile back at him.

Emily walked slowly toward him, half because of her nervousness, half because she was dreadfully concerned about her headdress falling off. Her mother, aunt, and cousin followed behind her. They had their place in the ceremony as well: it was the parents that made the marriage agreement, and Sue Clearwater would take the place of her father. Billy Black, who stood beside Sam's mother and Jared, the Best Man, would do so for Sam.

Their families performed the rites and rituals around them, and Sam and Emily did as they were told. Their ceremony was a mixture of Quileute and modern tradition. They traded rings and performed their water ceremony. But they never took their eyes off each other. All Emily could think about was him, their lives together, their nights together… By his heavy gaze, Emily could figure that Sam had the same things in mind.

When the last rite had been performed, the crowd's cheer jerked the two out of their prior concentrations. The pack was dreadfully loud.

"Congratulations!"

"Woo hoo!"

"Yeah, Uley! Get some!"

"Ow _ow_!"

Sam rolled his eyes. He leaned toward her.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of Paul and Quil."

"Its fine," Emily said with a laugh. Sam smiled lightly, then that smile disappeared. The way he looked at her made Emily feel as beautiful as he thought she was. He took her face into his hands, fingertips brushing against her cheekbones, then leaned in to kiss her.

"Mrs. Uley," he whispered. She couldn't help but smile against his lips.

…

The reception afterward, with the cake and the gifts, seemed to fly by in a mess of Quileute and modern dance, food, song and tradition. It was all lovely, and if Emily had been in the mood for a big, blowout party, it would have been perfect. But the hours seemed to pass in a blur.

Emily had removed her traditional clothes for her white cocktail dress before the reception, and upon entering the hall she immediately approved this decision. The place was packed, and the old ceremonial clothes would have been ruined in one way or another. Everyone was grabbing at her, wishing to congratulate her, bestow marital advice and ask questions. The entire pack wanted to dance with their pack mother, as did the Council members, and friends of the family. The women were constantly pulling her away and asking her about life with Sam Uley, as if he were some mythical hero. Leah had disappeared somewhere, but Emily knew not to disturb her. Then again, she couldn't have idly wandered off in search of her cousin if she wanted to. She was too busy entertaining the entire Quileute tribe. She felt she was a poor hostess though, as her wandering eyes were constantly surfing the crowd for new husband.

There were several non-Quileute people there, including Charlie and Bella Swan. They looked generally lost and sidelined and kept to the food bar. Emily pushed through the crowd to greet them, thank them, and make them feel a little less out of place.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Emily Uley," Charlie said, shaking her hand. "The ceremony was fantastic. I've never seen anything like it."

"It really was beautiful," Bella said.

"Thank you. It's wonderful to have you both here. I'm so happy you accepted my invitation."

"Thank you so much for inviting us! Congratulations again. Excuse me…" Charlie has seen Sue Clearwater and wandered toward her. Bella bit her lip.

"Any news about Jacob?"

"I'm sorry, Bella. He asked us not to… The last time Embry checked, he was somewhere in Canada."

Bella nodded. "Okay. I just… Yeah, thanks."

"Please enjoy yourself. I know Seth has been eager to see you."

"I have to go, actually," Bella said. "Some people don't really like that I'm here right now."

Emily exhaled. "Well, I hope to see you around often."

A sad laugh escaped from Bella's lips. "You might retract that invitation in a few weeks."

Emily swallowed. Weeks were all she had. But she tried to play it down.

"Weeks? I thought you were off to Dartmouth in the fall?"

Bella looked at the bride sadly. "Sure, Emily. Dartmouth. Again, congrats."

With a quick hug, Bella disappeared into the crowd. The pale girl disappeared, and Emily felt as if some sort of Grim Reaper waited for her at the door. This would be the last time she would see Bella alive. Human, at least.

"There you are." Emily twisted around to see her new husband fighting through the crowd. The crowd was easily the loser. He grabbed her hand, pulled her toward him, and kissed her fully in front of everyone. The warm touch chased away her fear for Bella.

"How is the Swan girl?" he finally asked. Emily tried to concentrate.

"_Bella_ is fine, Sam." Sam would find out in time about Bella's due date. He would get far too upset if he knew the exact time. And Emily felt a little greedy with his attentions at that moment.

"Good. Let's dance," he said. His smile was so beautiful. She hoped that, without the vampires around, she would see it more often.

As if on cue, the quick beat playing melted into a slow song. Sam pulled Emily close to him, pressing their bodies together until there was no space between them. They danced, unaware of anyone else around them.

"I have been waiting for this day since I saw you," Sam finally whispered.

"I've been dreaming about this for years," Emily said into his chest. She could feel his breath on her neck, his finger playing with a tendril of her hair. Her eyes closed, her heated breath vibrating into his shirt.

"Why are you shaking?" he whispered into her ear. She could hear the smile on his face.

But then the song changed again, an up-beat dancing song. Someone tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned to see Seth. She smiled.

"Sorry to interrupt…"

"Go ahead, I'll catch up with you later," Sam said, kissing her quickly. She didn't want to leave his arms, but soon Seth was in front of her, dancing horribly. She began to laugh. She and Sam had time. They had the whole night. They had the rest of their lives.

…

…

…

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long! Why does real life always seem to take precedence over books and stories? And not letting me log in for two days didn't help too much either  I believe we have one more chapter… and then it's the end. I want to thank you all for being the best, most inspiring and helpful readers I could possibly have. Again, thank you so much for reading, and **please review**!


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Emily's house seemed so different from what it was before. Had she really been living there all this time? Was that really her front door, her bedroom window, then inside: was that really her couch, her television, her kitchen? Was this really her house? Perhaps it was because it was no longer solely her own. It was his now too. Her husband's.

She stood in the doorway, immobile, and Sam had to reach around her to turn on the light.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Uley," he said, kissing her cheek as he passed. He kept saying that. "Mrs. Uley." She could tell he loved the sound of it. She rather loved it too.

He set the few wedding gifts he had in his arms on the worn out couch. The rest were still piled in the car, and at the Clearwater's.

Sam seemed almost giddy. He turned back toward her. Emily hadn't moved.

"You okay?"

"Yes. Just a little nervous, I guess."

Sam grinned.

"Why?" He walked toward her, brushing the strands that had fallen from her updo away from her face. Touching him made the nerves even worse, but she couldn't stop.

"What if I'm not…"

"Impossible," he whispered, kissing her again. He took her hand.

Emily smiled shyly and closed the front door behind her. With her hand still in his, she followed Sam up the stairs. Each step added weight to the nervous excitement in her stomach. She felt like she might vomit. Her face turned red. What if she vomited right while he was… At the thought her face turned redder.

He opened her bedroom door and led her inside. Her room was unfamiliar as well. Emily had never noticed how plain it was until now, just a desk under a window and a bed in the corner. A vase of flowers sat on the desk, and a picture of Sam and Emily that had been taken at one of the bonfires sat in a frame. It wasn't a very romantic setting. Emily had never wanted anything more than this, but it seemed too simple, too dull for what was about to happen. Emily stared at the bed, then suddenly realized that a few candles were lit on the desk, and on the bed stand. Sam must have had someone do that for him earlier. That was sweet of him.

She reached for the back of her dress, but he was already there, slowly pushing the zipper down and the shoulder straps off. He kissed her shoulder, the base of her neck, her spine. Shivers ran down her entire body. The dress fell in a heap on the floor.

Emily turned around slowly and reached out toward his buttons. Her hands were shaking, but he managed to hold himself together and wait until she unbuttoned his shirt, which he quickly shrugged off.

He kissed her, holding her face between his hands. She knew how hard he was trying to make things slow, but there was an underlying and frantic passion behind his kiss.

She smiled, and he smiled, his arms wrapping more completely around her and his lips becoming more desperate. Suddenly she was on the bed, and he was pushing his slacks and socks off. She'd seen him naked before, at the river, but it seemed much realer now than it did then.

She sat up, watching as he slid his boxers down onto the floor. She instinctively blushed and looked away. He sat down beside her, took her hand. He must have thought she was embarrassed by him. On the contrary. Every inch of him was perfect.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. She didn't know what words she'd manage to say if she tried. But she wanted this. More than anything before. And she wanted him to know that, like in all other things, they were the same. She took his face in her hands, brought her toward him.

Their lips crashed together, but they didn't stay joined for long. Sam was soon kissing down Emily's jaw, her throat, her neck. The feathery pressure of his lips across her collarbone…

He pulled her onto his lap, kissing down her chest. His hand slipped beneath the edge of her strapless bra, his fingers on her bare skin. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her chest became bare, and his mouth replaced his hands.

His lips returned to hers, and she held him there above her for just a moment. She could barely think. She needed just a quick pause before they continued. Emily tried to distract him, running her nails lightly over his chest, down farther and farther…. He gasped into her kiss. Sam had very little patience now.

He twisted, sinking her into the bed. Her legs freed themselves enough to wrap around his hips, pulling herself closer. Sam kissed down her stomach, his tongue flicking down, moving around her belly button and tasting its inside. Her breath was coming quickly now. When he reached the line of her underwear, he paused.

…

The wait made it so much sweeter, and the knowledge of knowing that she was his wife, his only for the rest of their lives, made him want her all the more. He could barely contain himself when they were completely unclothed, pressed together, her hips arching against him. Every inch of her was perfect. He ached to be within her, but held himself back, kissing every inch of her body until he couldn't take it anymore.

He was kissing down her stomach. She was gasping in the most delicious way. His arm reached back, his hand running down her bare leg before hitting the edge of her underwear. His fingertips traveled underneath to touch the soft hip underneath. Their breath was shaking now.

"Emily…"

"Please," she whispered. "I can't possibly wait any longer."

Her hands left his shoulders, down to her hips, where she pushed down the fabric there. Their fingers met, and he pulled them off completely.

And his hand moved lower and lower, tickling the inside of her thighs.

"Oh my God," she breathed.

And he was looking down at her, his eyes steady, his lips open. She couldn't match his gaze, not if she wanted to. She tried to reach his lips, but he was just out of her reach, too busy trying to watch every cell of her face. Her eyes rolled back, her lids clenched shut… She was going to explode right there, burst into tiny pieces.

Suddenly, Sam kissed her thighs and pulled himself up, face-to-face. He moved to kiss her mouth, but at the last moment his lips landed on the dark scars on her face. He kissed them slowly, thoroughly, all the way down her cheek, her neck, her shoulder. Her arms wound around his neck and pulled him closer. His entire body fell into her.

"Are you ready?" he asked. He kissed her, and she whispered, "Yes," against his lips. He watched her face as they finally came together.

He froze in complete pleasure and anticipation, for her eyes were tightly shut. He waited for her to look back, waited to see if she was alright.

Breathlessly, he whispered, "Are you okay?" He moved his hand to her forehead and brushed the sweat away.

She gasped finally and opened her eyes. She'd been holding her breath.

"Yes," she gasped. She smiled.

And then he was rocking inside her, and he forgot any harm he had ever suffered or caused, and pain anywhere in the world, and hurt he had ever felt. Because they were together, finally, and he knew that every time together would feel exactly like this.

They lost control at the same time, together, clutching each other in pure ecstasy. Waves of pleasure vibrated through their bodies.

She clung to him as he kissed her face, her forehead, her lips.

He rolled onto his back, and she followed him. Slowly, almost comically, they exhaled in unison.

Their breathing slowly returned to its normal tempo. Emily's fingers played softly down his chest, the light sweat across their bodies shining in the moonlight. Sam pulled her closer, content for the night. He didn't expect anything more from his new wife. He knew it hurt much more for girls the first time.

But then her fingertips suddenly left his skin, replaced by the sensation of her nails sliding down his chest.

Before he could ask her anything, her lips were on his throat. She moved beside him, sitting up. Soon she was straddling his hips, her hands landing on either side of this head. He stared up at her mischievous smile in awe.

She laughed at his expression, but didn't say a word. Instead, she kissed him, her hands running through his growing hair, her body pressed against his own.

…

"So how was it?"

He laughed. Just barely through the door and Emily was already there, begging for news.

"How was what?" Sam asked with a smirk as he kissed her forehead.

"The interview! Did you get the job?" she asked, her hands curling in his hair. He hadn't gotten a haircut in a few months. She realized she liked it far better this length.

Sam's face fell at her question.

"Oh no…"

"Oh Emily…" He faked a sigh, and then smiled. "I got it."

Emily squealed with happiness and did her best to jump into his arms.

"Sam Uley, I swear I'll kill you one of these days…" she said before he cut her off with a kiss. He set her down carefully. Sam was hungry, but the food in the kitchen could wait. Emily was pulling him onto the couch, and he was thoroughly enjoying the perks of being newly employed.

It had been six months since their wedding, and Sam was completely at peace. The Cullens had left, no vampires had come anywhere close to La Push, and the pack was completely stable. His community was at peace, his wife was pregnant, and he had a real job. It was all so mundane, this dull and domestic happiness, but it was perfect. He didn't miss the old days at all. He'd barely even phased in the last few months. In fact, it was becoming increasingly harder and harder for him to do so.

The only thing missing was Jacob.

The pack took turns phasing, trying to communicate with Jacob, trying to figure out where he was, telling him to come home. Of course, he hadn't given them any clues, and he had purposefully stayed away from civilization to avoid being tracked down. The "Have You Seen This Boy?" posters were tattered and covered with yard sale notifications and, ironically, lost dog ads. And since Bella had gotten married, changed, and disappeared along with the rest of the Cullens, Jacob made it even harder for them to track him. The last they knew, he'd crossed Canada to the East Coast. Who knew where he was now?

Some of the pack was unsettled by the quiet peace that had fallen around La Push and Forks. With Bella being a newborn, some thought she might escape the Cullen's watchful eye and return. But Sam had more confidence in the Cullens than that. He would always be weary, but he liked this peace. Romping around the woods with his pack had been great, but he couldn't support anyone like that. Knowing that he finally had a steady job somewhere other than a convenience store was exhilarating.

_And_ he had to admit: the joys of running and hunting as a werewolf seemed much duller now that he had a very loving wife at home. His tie had been thrown on the rug, his shirt was half-unbuttoned, and Emily's skirt was far too high when the doorbell rang.

"Shit." Sam pulled away and waited.

"We need to get the door," Emily said, letting out a low breath. Neither of them moved. She gave him a pointed look.

"I'm carrying around another human being. You can get the door, Mr. Uley," she said, a grin playing across her lips.

"Fine. I'll get it."

He kissed her quickly before removing himself from her arms and going to the door. He managed to button a few loose buttons on the way. Emily bent and scooped his tie off the floor, and ran her fingers through her hair.

Sam opened the door.

"Jacob!" Emily cried. She stood and all but ran to the door. The man at the door seemed so different, yet it was clearly the prodigal son.

"Emily, you're…" Jacob said as she took him into her arms.

"Yes," she beamed, pulling back and placing a hand on her stomach. "Four months."

"Congratulations! I'm sorry I missed the wedding."

"Me too," she said with a smile, running a tiny hand down his arm. "Don't worry, though. My grandmother took so many pictures that you'll feel as if you were there. Come in, Jacob! Why are you waiting out there on the porch?"

He looked at Sam. His smile stretched across his face.

"You're back," Sam said with a grin.

"Yes, sir!"

Sam laughed, pulling him into a hug. "Don't call me sir."

"Congratulations, man," he said, punching Sam in the arm.

"Thanks."

"I mean that on a few things, if you know what I mean." Jacob's knowing, playful gaze flicked down to the arm of the couch, where Emily had draped Sam's crumpled tie. Emily turned red. Sam's eyes widened with his grin. Since being married, Sam had come to really hate that mental connection. As unhappy with seeing Kim and Bella in ways he never wanted, he was far less happy with the rest of the pack seeing his _wife_ that way.

"So, you've… stayed close," he said with a look that said, _Watch it. One is enough._

Jacob's brow raised in amused understanding. Emily cleared her throat.

"Um, do you want anything? We have some drinks or…"

"Oh no, I don't think I'll be staying too long."

"Oh," Emily sighed, clearly disappointed.

"No, I mean here specifically. I'm back in La Push for good. I still haven't seen my father yet, though."

"I'm glad to hear it," Sam said. "So, where have you been?"

"Well, I went to Canada, then to the East Coast… I was just running, I didn't realize I had gotten so far south. When I found out I was in Massachusetts I freaked a little, and I was going to turn right around and head back to Canada. But, well, then I saw _her_…"

Jacob grinned, leaving the story unfinished.

"_Her_? Jacob! Did you imprint?" Emily asked.

"I… I have someone I'd like you to meet," Jacob said. Emily and Sam glanced at each other as the younger wolf went to the door. A young woman came to the doorway.

"This is Maria," he said, and the girl blushed. Emily smiled. She was thin, with dark hair and a dark complexion, with seemingly black eyes. She wasn't tall, her head barely meeting Jacob's chest, but lean and small. As soon as she was close enough, Jacob's hand wrapped protectively around the girls' waist. She must have been eighteen or nineteen.

"Maria, this is Sam and Emily, you know, the ones I told you about."

"Yes, I remember." She was shy, but gave them a smile.

"Hi, Maria," Emily offered, holding out her arms. Maria, almost painfully, detached herself from Jacob and hugged the pregnant woman. She didn't focus on Emily's scars once.

"Welcome to our family." Emily urged them all to sit down.

"Thank you," she said.

"She's shy now, but once she warms up to you, you're going to have a rude awakening. She's the most sarcastic thing I've ever met." Maria looked down in amused embarrassment. She looked as if she wanted to disappear.

"So you met in Massachusetts?" Emily asked the girl, trying to make her feel a little less awkward.

"Yes. I, well, I was visiting my grandparents. They live near the New Hampshire line and they have this well, huge backyard. And I was out there…"

"She was making sure her dog went," Jacob explained. Maria blushed again.

"Yes, and I looked up, and I saw him. Just, this half-wild man staring at me from the trees. At first I was terrified, but he calmed me down and asked if we had any food, and I brought him some of my grandfather's clothes too."

"That man has some _style_."

They laughed together. It must have been an inside joke. Emily wanted to giggle with joy. Sam leaned forward.

"Wait, does she…?"

Jacob looked at him quizzically.

"Know what? That I am a werewolf?"

Maria looked up suddenly. "Wait, what?"

Emily and Sam froze.

Jacob smiled, and Maria followed suit. "Just kidding. Yes, I know."

"Jesus, Jacob. At least you have someone else who appreciates your sense of humor," Sam said with a smile as Maria leaned into Jacob. His arms curled around her once again as they sat together on the old and lumpy couch. Sam shook his head, a wide smile on his face.

"You sure you won't be staying just a little while?" Emily asked.

Jacob smiled sheepishly. "Maybe a little while longer," he said. Emily stood.

"Well, I'm going to get us something to eat then." She kissed Sam's cheek before heading to the kitchen. Sam watched her go before turning back to Jacob and Maria.

"Well, with you, Jared, and Quil… I guess we can officially say imprinting it not the rarest of things."

…

…

…

A/N: Of course I had to go for a corny last line! I just wanted to thank all of you, my wonderful readers, for sticking by my story and continuing to review. It was amazing, hearing from all of you. You really did inspire me just as much as my imagination did… Because, well, if no one wants to read it, what's the point? Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoyed it to the end.

Love, musicsetsmefree1


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